Red Rum or Shergar? I don't know much about horse racing but these two always used to get me really excited. Magnificent beasts in their day. We don't have enough characters like these two around tese days. Thoughts?
I would rather have a Shergar than a Red Rum. Albeit, not with what happened after their racing lives. Shergar was a champion flat horse, Red Rum was spectacular in a handicap at Aintree.
No, Red Rum wasn't the best horse in his year, he wasn't a champion. He was just a great Grand National horse.
Sorry Nass, I have to disagree. The deeds of Red Rum are amazing. Sure in the eyes of purists, he only won a handicap event, but I don't believe that the status of "champion" should be restricted to horses that win at weight for age.
A champion in horse racing terms is the leader of its year. Red Rum wasn't a champion, simple as that.
Agree, we have the same. Champion 2yo, Champion 3yo etc. This however is just one meaning of the word champion. Websters. "Anyone who is dazzlingly skilled in any field." EOS.
Red Rum, in receipt of 2 stone, only just pipped Crisp in a GN. So Crisp was better than Red Rum over the GN course and would have thrashed him over any other lesser distance. Full credit to Red Rum for all his GN success though (3 wins and 2 seconds from 5 attempts - unlikely to be bettered). As regards Shergar can anyone remember the more fancied horses for the Derby (AP) that didn't actually take part in that Derby? I remember Shergar was only my banker selection after the defection of at least 2 others. Of the 2: Financially. Shergar; and would have been even more financially rewarding at stud. For enjoyment. Probably Red Rum as I would have had 5 years of enjoyment and not had to suffer the loss of a great horse.
Imagine owing the horse Ron, knowing that each year he was in with a huge shout. Look how we struggle to find one who'll finish close each year. He was an old marvel.
Agreed. I have the famous picture of him with Arkle and Dessie. If there was a similar picture of 3 flat horses I wonder who they would be. I would have Frankel, Ribot for a start. Then it gets difficult. My wife would insist on Dancing Brave. I might have to have one for colts and one for fillies.
Red Rum was a solid staying NH handicapper who just loved extreme distances at Aintree, where he excelled. I am sure he ran just the once in the Cheltenham Gold Cup (finished down the field unplaced) but cannot find the exact year. To be honest, I was devastated when Crisp, giving all that weight to Red Rum, lost in the last stride. That was a travesty IMHO.
If you ask most people to name a race horse the majority would say 'red rum'. He deserves to be classed as a champion simply for his record in the Grand National which was just awesome. The Grand National captures the publics imagination like no other race and I wouldnt class it as just a handicap race due to its unique physical challenge. For me it is the most enthralling race to watch in the year and is full of action packed incidents. The unique style of the fences is also something which adds to the spectacle.. It s the most exciting race to watch in the calendar year. If you compare say watching the 2000 guineas to the National - nowhere near as enthralling but then Im probably biased as Im a big jumps racing fan. The flat is boring in comparison.
For every good Grand National finish you can find plenty of Grundy and Bustino, or Ouija Board versus Alexander Goldrun. I dare say that if you asked everyone on this forum to name their most exciting race of the last few years, you would get a good mixture of flat and NH races. Since 2010 my favourite race was the Kauto Star 2011 King George but also Frankel's Guineas win was very special to watch.
Agree about Frankel Nass. Since I joined the old 606 umpteen years ago, the most breathtaking win I've seen in UK racing, was the Guineas win.
It was the feeling of "what on earth is he doing, surely he can't win like that, hang on, he is sluicing home"
