Red Rum going for historic fourth Grand National victory – from beyond the grave
Red Rum will be going for an historic fourth victory in Saturday's big Grand National race from beyond the grave.
Part of the record three-time winner’s mane has been weaved into the bridle of one of the stars of this year’s race. After Red Rum died in 1995 the family of his trainer Ginger McCain preserved some of his hair.
It will run tomorrow’s £1million classic tied to the racing clobber of Minella Trump – which is trained by Ginger’s son Donald. The McCains hope Red Rum’s lucky locks will inspire yet another family victory in the world’s biggest steeplechase. Joanne said: “It’s something that we do with every horse we have that runs over the Grand National fences.
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“It’s been carried to victory by two Grand National winners (Amberleigh House in 2004 and Ballabriggs in 2011). It’s a little superstition and tradition of ours.”
It would not be the first time the horse racing legend has cast a spell over Aintree since his death. Amberleigh House was carrying strands of Red Rum’s hair when it won the 2004 National.
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It too was trained by Ginger, who died in 2011 aged 80 after schooling Rummy to his three wins in 1973, 1974 and 1977. More of the legend’s locks were riding with Ballabriggs when it won the race in 2011 – trained by Donald.
His sister Joanne hopes to pull off a hair-trick by attaching yet more to 40-1 shot Minella Trump tomorrow – to mark the 50th anniversary of Red Rum’s first National victory.
The bridle – which jockeys use to direct their mounts – consist of the headstall which holds the `bit’ that goes in the horse’s mouth and the reins which the rider holds.
Joanne said: “It’s something that we do with every horse we have that runs over the Grand National fences.
“I put a little bit of Red Rum’s hair on their brow band. We’ve not got a lot of it left so I sewed it onto a little ribbon which we cover all the brow bands with.
“Years ago people would ask for a bit of his mane or his tail and when you brushed him his hair would come away so we just kept keeping it.
“It’s been carried to victory by two Grand National winners. It’s a little superstition and tradition of ours. Red Rum was everything growing up. He was part of the family.
“A lot of people’s years tend to run from Christmas to Christmas but ours would run from Grand National to Grand National. He was awesome."
Tweeting a photo of herself sewing the mane hair into Minella Trump’s bridle, she added: “Finishing touches – a bit of Red Rum will jump round with Minella Trump as he did with both Ballabriggs and Amberleigh House."
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