Red Rum’s record-breaking third win at the 1977 Grand National has been named as the most memorable moment in the history of the famous race.
Runner-up in a poll of 2,000 Britons once run by bookmaker William Hill’s was the moment AP McCoy finally won — after 14 attempts — on Don’t Push It in 2010.
Third was the tear-jerking occasion when cancer survivor Bob Champion rode Aldaniti to victory at Aintree in 1981.
The poll also revealed that only 15% of Grand National punters consult a form guide to select their horses, only 9% look at the odds and more than 40% base their bet on the horse’s name.
11 most memorable Grand National moments
1. Red Rum (1977): The greatest ever horse in Grand National history wins for the third time
2. AP McCoy (2010): All-time great AP McCoy had missed the target in the National on 14 occasions, but 2010 was finally his year when he won riding Don’t Push It
3. Aldaniti (1981): There wasn’t a dry eye to be found when cancer survivor Bob Champion rode Aldaniti, a horse who had been on racing’s scrap heap, to a 10/1 victory for West Sussex trainer Josh Gifford. Their remarkable story was later turned into the hit movie Champions starring John Hurt
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4. Streakers at Aintree (2011): Fearless friends Gemma Porter, 29, and Louise Van-Marle, 21, claimed their place in history when they dodged stewards to gain access to the track, stripping off to bare all to thousands of stunned onlookers on the first day of the Grand National Festival
5. Void Race (1993): The race ended in chaos as 30 of the 39 riders failed to realise a false start had been called and set off around the track. The Jockey Club was forced to declare the race void
6. The Monday race (1997): No-one will ever forget the year Lord Gyllene won the National. Not just because he won looking like he could go round again, but it was the year when the famous race was run on a Monday. A bomb scare reduced Saturday afternoon’s spectacular to chaos when the announcement was made that the entire course would have to be evacuated. Everyone gathered again 48 hours later on Monday to see Lord Gyllene and Tony Dobbin power to a 25-length success.
7. Only four horses finish (2001): Aintree’s heavy conditions weren’t exactly conducive to perfect racing, though the frequency of fallers (20) was stunning. Most came a cropper at the first jumping of the Canal Turn when a loose horse decided to come between fence and the second pack of runners, causing all jockeys to slow their horses. The race was won by Red Marauder
8. Corbiere (1983): Jenny Pitman made history as the first woman to train a Grand National winner when Corbiere charged home at 13/1. A class act, Corbiere was third in 1984 and 1985. Pitman went on to train another winner in 1995 with Royal Athlete. The next woman to win the big race was Venetia Williams with 100/1 outsider Mon Mome in 2009
9. Party Politics (1992): Party Politics came first in the same week as the 1992 General Election, when John Major took over the reins for the country
10. Foinavon (1967): Jockey John Buckingham thought his outside chance had gone up in smoke when he trailed the field on 100/1 longshot Foinavon. But a pile-up at the 23rd fence caused havoc — none of the horses were able to jump it and, by the time Foinavon caught up with his rivals, Buckingham was able to find a route, traverse the fence and race clear. Seventeen jockeys remounted and gave chase, but they were not able to stop a fairy-tale winner. The 23rd fence is now known as the Foinavon in his honour.
11. And finally, who can forget Tiger Roll’s back-to-back victories in this race in 2018 and 2019.
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Former web features editor, point-to-point editor and digital racing editor
Gemma is an experienced journalist, who was a member of H&H staff from 2014 to September 2025. She is passionate about all equestrian sports, including racing and point-to-pointing. She has enjoyed riding out for top trainers Nicky Henderson and Charlie Appleby and took part in a charity Flat race at Epsom in August 2018. Gemma’s has reported from numerous five-star events around Britain and Europe, as well as European championships.
