Red Rum

Red Rum
Red Rum at Castle Park, Bristol in 1980
Sire	Quorum
Grandsire	Vilmorin
Dam	Mared
Damsire	Magic Red
Sex	Gelding
Foaled	3 May 1965
Country	Ireland
Colour	Bay
Breeder	Martyn McEnery
Owner	Noel le Mare
Trainer	Ginger McCain
Record	100: 24-15-23
Earnings	£146,409.80
Major wins
Grand National (1973, 1974, 1977) Scottish National (1974)
Honours
Life-size statue at Aintree Racecourse Smaller bronze statue inside Wayfarers Arcade, Southport Red Rum Handicap Chase at Aintree
Last updated on February 15, 2009

Red Rum (bay gelding; 3 May 1965 – 18 October 1995) was a champion Thoroughbred steeplechaser. He achieved an unmatched historic treble when he won the Grand National in 1973, 1974 and 1977, and also came second in the two intervening years (1975 & 1976). The Grand National is a notoriously difficult race that has been described as "the ultimate test of a horse’s courage". He was also renowned for his jumping ability, having not fallen in 100 races.

The 1973 race in which Red Rum secured his comeback victory from 30 lengths behind is often considered one of the greatest Grand Nationals in history. In a 2002 UK poll, Red Rum's historic third triumph in the Grand National was voted the 24th greatest sporting moment of all time.

Red Rum was bred at Rossenarra stud in Kells, County Kilkenny, Ireland, by Martyn McEnery. His sire was Quorum (1954-1971), and his dam Mared (1958-1976). Mared was a grand-daughter of the broodmare Batika, whose other descendants have included the Irish 2000 Guineas winner Turtle Island. McEnery gave Red Rum his name by taking the last three letters of the names of his dam and sire respectively. Bred to win one-mile races, he won his National titles over the longest distance, four miles and four furlongs. Red Rum started his career running in cheap races as a sprinter and dead-heated in his first race, a five-furlong flat race at Aintree Racecourse. He ran another seven times as a two-year-old winning over 7f at Warwick, and won over 7f at Doncaster in the first of his two races as a three-year-old. In his early career, he was twice ridden by Lester Piggott. The comedian Lee Mack, then a stable boy, had his first riding lesson on Red Rum.