Never can get enough of that race. My dad offered me odds of 14-1 on Aldaniti, so I had my 50p pocket money on him. Easiest £7 I ever made! Still makes me weep 34 years later. Horse and jockey, true heroes. And good old John Thorne on Spartan Missile - the ultimate amateur.
I still remember as a young lad my mum and dad screaming at the television for aldaniti and Bob champion to keep going...such a fantastic fairy tale story!
It was the year I put my pocket money on Spartan Missile. I didnt mind losing when I found out the story of Bob Champion and Aldaniti they deserved to win the race. Still get emotional about it my dad was alive then and we watched the race together with mum. Both my parents passed away now. Good happy days.
1981 seems an awful long time ago. Story of horse and man as fresh as ever. Despite his physical problems, Aldaniti proved everyone wrong and lived until he 27 years young. Bob Champion, despite the odds against him, has proved everyone wrong. What a story :)
I know the man that bred Aldaniti He's dead now but sure to see a horse that you watched as foal to win a great race like the national must have been amazing
I remember my mother who generally had zero interest in horses and raising yelling for John Thorne as his wife was some sort of cousin of hers. It is true Spartan Missile might well have won with a pro but Thorne had his dream and Champion had his miracle. Just shows how you don’t know how life will work out, Champion lives on and John Thorne was killed a few months later.
Awww, wish someone would have given the rider-less horse that stayed in the top 4 an honorary metal! He just kept on going right along with everyone else! What a sport!!
He led the race from about the final third of the first circuit to the finish, just totally bossed it! Did anyone notice when they crossed the Melling Road on the final circuit a loose horse seems to crash through the barrier from the inside?
Incredible story. Let's not forget Josh Gifford, the trainer, who was at the top of his profession when Champion was first diagnosed with cancer. It would have taken nothing more than a simple phone call for Gifford to get another top jockey to take over as his number one choice. But Gifford didn't do that. An ex-jockey himself, Gifford instead told Champion to get treatment reassuring him that when he was once again fighting fit his job as his number one jockey was absolutely guaranteed. Some of Gifford's owners wanted their horse(s) ridden by someone else. Gifford told at least one of them that in that case they needed to find another trainer. Incredible loyalty.
I don't remember when I had downloaded this after last watching Champions but it was a thrill. I wish the picture were a little clearer. I thought the movie was exciting but I wish more attention had been paid to Aldaniti and his amazing recovery from an injury that should have ended his racing career or even his life. It reminds me of poor Barbaro whose injury after the start of the Preakness in 2006 led to his having to be put down. I noticed how Aldaniti had the same wide blaze on his forehead as the horse in the movie then remembered Aldaniti had played himself. I should watch the Grand National part in the movie and compare it to the actual footage. Since I, an American, sometimes have trouble with British accents I used closed captioning and had a laugh at the various misspellings of Aldaniti and the other horses in this great race. I just noticed the names of some of the horses and jockeys including Red Rum. That had to have come from The Shining where young Danny muttered redrum which turned out to be murder in reverse.
horses keep running cos its the herd instinct, but its interesting no w they have the run outs a lot of loose horses run around the fences, rather than jump them. this was a wonderful result, a great story :}
More like a race of mayhem and absolute destruction. God knows how many horses in this field were injured or had to be destroyed because of injury .I am a fan of racing, but not this cruel event. Makes my blood boil watching it.
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Never can get enough of that race.
My dad offered me odds of 14-1 on Aldaniti, so I had my 50p pocket money on him. Easiest £7 I ever made!
Still makes me weep 34 years later. Horse and jockey, true heroes. And good old John Thorne on Spartan Missile - the ultimate amateur.
I still remember as a young lad my mum and dad screaming at the television for aldaniti and Bob champion to keep going...such a fantastic fairy tale story!
won with rubstick in 79 but was happy as we all were to see Bob Champion win with Aldaniti and the money raised it was phenomenal. LEGEND.
It was the year I put my pocket money on Spartan Missile. I didnt mind losing when I found out the story of Bob Champion and Aldaniti they deserved to win the race. Still get emotional about it my dad was alive then and we watched the race together with mum. Both my parents passed away now. Good happy days.
1981 seems an awful long time ago. Story of horse and man as fresh as ever. Despite his physical problems, Aldaniti proved everyone wrong and lived until he 27 years young. Bob Champion, despite the odds against him, has proved everyone wrong. What a story :)
Best national ever I was only 7years of age watching this. I well done Bob, but I cryed at the end of the movie.
My favorite horse race, two legends
What a great race at after what aldaniti and bob champion went through
What an incredible story...
edward mercer i
absolutey awe inspiring both horse and jockey amazing
I know the man that bred Aldaniti
He's dead now but sure to see a horse that you watched as foal to win a great race like the national must have been amazing
I remember my mother who generally had zero interest in horses and raising yelling for John Thorne as his wife was some sort of cousin of hers. It is true Spartan Missile might well have won with a pro but Thorne had his dream and Champion had his miracle. Just shows how you don’t know how life will work out, Champion lives on and John Thorne was killed a few months later.
Awww, wish someone would have given the rider-less horse that stayed in the top 4 an honorary metal! He just kept on going right along with everyone else! What a sport!!
FANTASTIC RACE.
He led the race from about the final third of the first circuit to the finish, just totally bossed it!
Did anyone notice when they crossed the Melling Road on the final circuit a loose horse seems to crash through the barrier from the inside?
and at the fence before that a horse ran out almost in front of a car!
Incredible story.
Let's not forget Josh Gifford, the trainer, who was at the top of his profession when Champion was first diagnosed with cancer. It would have taken nothing more than a simple phone call for Gifford to get another top jockey to take over as his number one choice. But Gifford didn't do that. An ex-jockey himself, Gifford instead told Champion to get treatment reassuring him that when he was once again fighting fit his job as his number one jockey was absolutely guaranteed. Some of Gifford's owners wanted their horse(s) ridden by someone else. Gifford told at least one of them that in that case they needed to find another trainer. Incredible loyalty.
*COME ON BOBBY!! ALDANITI!!!*
I don't remember when I had downloaded this after last watching Champions but it was a thrill. I wish the picture were a little clearer. I thought the movie was exciting but I wish more attention had been paid to Aldaniti and his amazing recovery from an injury that should have ended his racing career or even his life. It reminds me of poor Barbaro whose injury after the start of the Preakness in 2006 led to his having to be put down. I noticed how Aldaniti had the same wide blaze on his forehead as the horse in the movie then remembered Aldaniti had played himself. I should watch the Grand National part in the movie and compare it to the actual footage. Since I, an American, sometimes have trouble with British accents I used closed captioning and had a laugh at the various misspellings of Aldaniti and the other horses in this great race. I just noticed the names of some of the horses and jockeys including Red Rum. That had to have come from The Shining where young Danny muttered redrum which turned out to be murder in reverse.
What a race
What a Horse !!!!!!!!!!!
Bring back beechers & proper fences
i worked 4 mrs peggy st john nolan who owned Drumrone riden by tommy mcgivern
horses keep running cos its the herd instinct, but its interesting no w they have the run outs a lot of loose horses run around the fences, rather than jump them. this was a wonderful result, a great story :}
Bob champion is Guisborough lad went to Lawrence Jackson school
the best
here here
Great race,but to be honest,and he had every right to ride him,but i think if a pro had been on spartan missile he would have won..
Would have great if 54 yr old John Thorne
sparten missile would have won if he had not bean to far back!
A bit lucky! I think Royal Mail would have won, but for that error.
SugarTomAppleRoger a close 2nd but wouldnt of got to aldaniti....
erotica
Horrible music interferes with my ability to hear and understand the call. Plus - fuzzy image. Copied over too many times.
More like a race of mayhem and absolute destruction. God knows how many horses in this field were injured or had to be destroyed because of injury .I am a fan of racing, but not this cruel event. Makes my blood boil watching it.
BobChampion was a miserable get
outrageous comment