The Grand National

Posted by Paola

The Grand National is coming up soon! It is held on a Saturday every April, and it is a famous race which is held in Aintree England. In the race the horses run  a distance of about 4 miles and 856 yards. There are also 30 fences to be jumped in the race. The most famous horse ever to race in the Grand  National is Red Rum. He won The Grand National 3 times and lost it twice. The years he won the race were 1973, 1974, and 1977, unfortunately he lost the race in the years 1975 and 1976. This year the race is going to be held April 8th through April 10th.

There are big hedges in the Grand National race. If someone fell off his horse while it was jumping, he would have to lay at the bottom of the jump until all the other horses have jumped over it. This way, he would not get ran over by a horse.

The Grand National is a long and tiring race. Most people fall off their horses before the end of the race. If it happens the rider will have to catch his own horse!

Becher's Brook, an eight foot fence is the hardest jump on the course. Many racers fall off their horses on that jump. It is a tall hedge with a pond on the landing end. Becher was a famous jockey that raced in the Grand National. He was most famous for falling off his horse on a jump with a brook on the other side. He managed to remount his horse and on the next lap, he fell off on the same jump with the brook! That jump was soon known as Becher's Brook.

Here is a map of the Grand National course. Riders have to take two laps around the course.

Bye! I hope you enjoyed the post.
Check out my posts about Red Rum if you want to learn more about the most famous Grand National Winner.
Red Rum part 1
Red Rum part 2
Red Rum part 3

Red Rum - Part 1, Posted by Paola

Part 2, Part 3
Red Rum's Life
Lets find out about the first horse ever to win the Grand National more than once.


Red Rum was born May 3, 1965. His sire's name was Quorum and his dam's name was Mared. Red Rum was a famous racehorse. He achieved an unmatched historic memory when he won the Grand National.


He raced the years 1973,1974, and 1977.


In 1973 he beat the great Australian racer Crisp who carried 23 pounds. Crisp lead for almost the whole race until Red Rum caught about 20 yards from the finish. It was considered the best Grand National in history.


In his first two victories Red Rum was ridden by Brian Fletcher. In 1975 when L'escargot was victorious Fletcher was blamed for costing him wins by holding Red Rum back.


In 1976 Tommy Stack replaced Fletcher but was held back by Rag Trade. The following year Stack rode Red Rum to his third triumphant victory in the Grand National. It was considered one of the greatest moments in British sporting history.


Go to part 2

Red Rum - Part 2

Part 1, Part 3
The Most Loved Horse
Red Rum became one of the most loved horses in the United Kingdom and Ireland. He also became a celebrity opened supermarkets and lead Grand National parades. He was liked so much he was put on playing cards, mugs, posters, models, pain tings, and jigasaw puzzles.


See my Red Rum Project


Books have been written about him by his trainer, jockeys, and author Ivor Herbert. Children's books about his life have been written by Christine Pemperton. Red Rum opened the Steeple Chase. It is a rollercoster ride with 3 tracks. It was designed by arrow dynamics Rum's hoof print is at the exit.


Red Rum was bred at Rossenarra Stud in Kells. Bred to win one mile races he won four miles and four furlongs. He started running cheap races and dead heated in 5 furlongs at the Aintree racetrack. In his early career he was ridden by Lester Peggot.


 One day Red Rum slipped when the Liverpool car dealer Ginger McCain pulled up. MacCain bought him from his vet Noelle Mare and famously trained the horse on the sand of Southport Merseyside. He was mad when he found out Red Rum was lame. MacCain who also won the Grand National in 2004 with Amberliegh House took Red Rum for a swim before every Grand National.


Sadly Red Rum Suffered from a deliberately incurable bone disease. He died on the 18, Oct. and was buried at the winning post of the Aintree racetrack.


Go to part 3

Red Rum- Part 3

Part 1, Part 2 

What Things Are

What is a Sire?

A sire is the dad of a foal( a baby horse). A dam is a mom of a foal.

Grand National

The Grand National is a famous race held at Aintree England. It is run at a distance about 4 miles and 856 yards and has 30 fences to be jumped. It is always held an a Saturday of April.

Furlongs

The name furlong comes from an old English word furth ( furrow) and lang (long). Dating back to the ninth century it referred to the length of a furrow in a one acre long field. The system arose from turning a team of oxen with a heavy plow was hard.

Racehorse

A racehorse is a horse that races against fast horses on a racetrack.

Go to part 1, part 2