The legendary Red Rum has lit up Liverpool again, half a century after his first Grand National win.
A hologram of the three-time National winner in action was projected on to the Royal Liver Building on the city’s waterfront last week (4 April). The tribute was commissioned by bookmaker Coral to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Red Rum’s first win at nearby Aintree.
Red Rum also topped a poll commissioned by Coral to find the nation’s favourite Grand National winner of all time. More than 700 Racing Post readers voted, ranking Red Rum number one ahead of the two-time National hero Tiger Roll, and Aldaniti, who took a fairytale win with Bob Champion in 1981.
Coral’s David Stevens said: “It might be 50 years since Red Rum won the first of those historic three Grand Nationals, but our survey shows he is still the most popular and best-loved winner of the most famous race in the world.
“We hope his many fans will enjoy seeing him come ‘back to life’, and we think the hologram is a fitting tribute to Red Rum on the anniversary of that famous first National victory.”
Red Rum, trained by Ginger McCain, won in 1973, 1974 and 1977, coming second in 1975 and 1976. He was retired on the eve of the 1978 Grand National, when he pulled up lame after a gallop. Then 13, he was still among the favourites.
As Tommy Stack, who rode Red Rum to his third National win, once said: “How can I ever thank Red Rum enough for what he has done for me, for racing and for the Grand National? He was a legend that should never be forgotten, and never will.”
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