Red Rum - The Aura of a Legend

Here is a tribute video to honor the indomitable Will, Power and Charisma of the legendary Red Rum. Early on in his racing career Red Rum was diagnosed with the debilitating bone disease known as pedal osteitis, - i.e. an inflammation of the pedal bone, or coffin bone. In late 1972 Red Rum was bought at auction for Noel Le Mare. Le Mare's purchase was influenced by his trainer Donald 'Ginger' McCain; who had already been keeping his eye on this descendant of the mighty St Simon. McCain then quickly proceeded to work and rehabilitate Red Rum with his unique method of taking Red Rum onto the sea and sand of the Southport beaches. According to Fran Jurga from hoofcare.com:
"...McCain was a genius in the way he trained Red Rum. He was the first trainer to harrow the beach, marking the gallop--this came after another horse of his cut its tendon on a broken bottle that had washed ashore, but it also softened the hardpacked sand. Other trainers had given up galloping on the beach because they felt it made horses more lame, but the harrowing really seemed to work for Red Rum.
If you've ever taken a horse to the beach, you know that it can be an interesting ride the first few times. After a while, horses usually love it, but the waves, open space and the shifting sand take some getting used to. But not for Red Rum: the first time McCain took him to the beach, the gelding walked right into the ocean up to his chest.
McCain supplemented the gallops on the flat sand with lots of time standing or walking in the water; surely the cold Irish Sea was good for any inflammation in the horse's feet. He also trained him up and down the forgiving sand dunes, which were great for the horse's muscles without putting a lot of stress on his feet."
read more here:- hoofcare.blogsp...
Out from the beaches of Southport arose one of the greatest and noblest equines the world has ever witnessed.

[@johngriffin1175]

He was the Governor round Aintree. I'm ex racing lad . Was 14 when he won is 3d national. Even today if someone says is name it turns my head. I last went to Aintree in 98, soon as my horse was settled in I went over & had a chat with the old boy!! Still love him till this day & there'll never be another like him. Keep galloping rummy❤

[@stevenbyrne5808]

Had the honor and pleasure to present RUMMY'S 30th birthday cake to him at Aintree, and was standing on the Chair Fence with 15 kids from the local council estate who knew nothing about horse racing, but had made the enjoyable ticketless run past the police and stewards to watch the great RED RUM.It's the only time it felt like being at a football match in the home straight that day unbelievable atmosphere. And finally I was part of the ground staff team when we laid the great CHAMPION to rest at the Winning Post . It felt so right that it was us the local lads that had prepared the racetrack and fences for Rummy to enjoy be there at the end

[@Woo94ster]

Wonderful. How did he look at 30? Thank you for helping to lay him to rest at the end. Aintree did the right thing in the right way.

[@fionadow1277]

Met this horse so many times loved him like no other. I have never got so involved with a horse as much as him and never will. He was simply the best.

[@idgythreadgood3168]

I was fortunate enough to sit on him. Have a pound note with message from Ginger written on it 'it's the horses'

[@lycangypsypriest3190]

Fiona Dow you was charmed!! Gosh i wish i had met red rum!!!

[@boysfrombrazil1]

Took my first wife to see him in gingers stables at the back of his car showroom. I surprised her by saying there is a really nice horse here and she thought I was mad. Asked if we could look at the horses and yes no problem. Showed her Rummy and she couldn't believe it. She loved horses but that beautiful horse made her day/ year!!

[@michaelcasey6546]

Legends never die, he was a magnificent horse.

[@helenemillar7626]

A wonderful tribute to the courage, stunning talent, and bravery of this truly amazing horse! Thanks for posting....a brilliant job! :)

[@Oakleaf700]

A true wonderhorse...Red Rum, a Sporting Hero.

[@lycangypsypriest3190]

Oakleaf700 red rum horse of magic.!!!

[@rubyhammer4705]

Apart from being a legend he was an absolute stamp of a thoroughbred and had a beautiful head and face xx

[@debbieevans8301]

NO HORSE HAS EVER , OR WILL EVER BEAT RED RUM

[@RikiNewtonMusicianSongwriter]

Thanx so much for posting this historical document about the history making, record breaking race horse who went by the name of Red Rum.. He will never be forgotten & has a special place in so many hearts.. A true thorough bred legend !! Peace !! Rx

[@seanofafrica]

It ticks me off that Wikipedia has Red Rum as having "fallen only once". I appreciate they took this from an alternative source on the Internet, but it's still wrong. He unseated his rider. Rummy never went down EVER.

[@mrchainsaw-face.141]

A great video - always brings tears to my eyes. Rummy was always special to me because Ginger McCain bought him the day I was born! He loved the Grand National and would jump the fences as if they were nothing, he loved to win and he loved the attention!

[@timbyles4124]

You can see it in his eyes, he’s thinking “ whatever guys, I’m having this.....again..” Amazing. Best horse that ever existed...👍

[@taksim2010]

I never tire of watching this legend! Thank you for the video:)

[@timbyles4124]

Fantastic choice of music. I’ve tears in my eyes.....

[@dawnkeir549]

red rum legend no horse ever do that again

[@lynnwilliams638]

The greatest horse ever love you red rum x

[@sharontrainor615]

Red rum is simply the greatest horse ever

[@helenemillar7626]

Agree 100%! Brave, handsome, intelligent, determined and amazingly talented -a true legend . Love you, Rummy!

[@philipcarthy2977]

Exceptional horse

[@keithknight1686]

In my opinion, though Red Rum was not the best racehorse ever, he will remain the greatest horse ever to run, flat or N.H., in the history of the sport. He achieved heights no horse will ever better. Still to this day, he remains in the public domain. Outside of the sport, who remembers Frankel or even Arkle?

[@Kierkegaard73]

@arkleno1 Even a Tolkien, or a Homer et al, could not have penned a more thrilling, inspiring & stupendous epic story-line than that which emanates from the real life of Red Rum & Ginger McCain. Thank you for the great comments both here and on R.R. - R.O.A.Hero.

[@Woo94ster]

One of the best Red Rum videos, thanks! Great comments too.

[@johnrobinson4404]

Mum would put a few bob on red rum in all the national races and as a 7 year old child i treasure tge memories of watching mum screaming in delight when he crossed the line ..the horse that saved the National and brought joy to millions of housewives who had 20p bets on him or where lucky enough to get rummy in the sweep...

[@seanofafrica]

He was entered for the Whitbread too. Mrs McCain insisted Ginger scratch him or she'd leave him, as the story goes. So Ginger took Rummy out of the race, though all concerned were gutted when a horse that the McCains knew Rummy would have trounced won in his absence.

[@lycangypsypriest3190]

Bring on the gladiator red rum!!!

[@Kierkegaard73]

@franjurga Thank you. I hope you do not mind, I meant to send you a request to cite your article before I referenced it, but when I uploaded this youtube decided to to make things rather difficult and in the process I forgot altogether to send you the query. Your efforts at hoofcare are really impressive, and your writing talents are certainly nothing to overlook. Rummy, a true icon, transcended his sport and, I concur w/your sentiment that his example has greatly helped other noble equnes.

[@josephlandrut4154]

People who worked with Ginger was ware of his honesty because he would have been bribed to prevent red Rum winning the National three times and honest trainer have hone3st employees to complaint their expertise when providing winners for the stable and owners.

[@seanofafrica]

Thanks for this info, but, yeah, I was of course referring to going down at a fence, which is the implication on Wikipedia. I wish you'd written the blog!

[@travalersnews3714]

I was a jockey with ginger for 2 years I look after red and the governed was hard but fair sadly mist

[@seanlong7557]

I was there for a short period, Billy looked after Rummie, Rod was Head lad, Stable lads called spider and Colin, Sure Stable girl called Kate or Katie

[@Oakleaf700]

@@@seanlong7557 what is it with lads called ''Spider''...I knew some teenagers called Spider too....thin, maybe that is it .

[@seanlong7557]

Yes, I recall Harry Wright, Billy Bearswood, Got masive bone to pick with him, Think Colins surname was Hicky, I Recall Rod he had not long become head lad, Katie gave me alot of reasuurance, As was timid, And got a lot of stick.Spider think was called that, as was very tall with long legs. I recall the Horse was called Pweter sphere, I left after a few weeks

[@CharlotteWeb100]

Friend of mine named Judith worked for McCain's yard back in the day and has some great photos and stories. One of my favourite pics shows her on his back with just a halter, rope in one hand and a cigarette in the other. Every year when talk turn to Red Rum she remembers him with a dry smile and says "He was a right sod to brush"

[@CharlotteWeb100]

Also a young groom from a yard somewhere between Blackpool and Southport l took me for a beach gallop on her ex-chaser and I'm sure her name was Tracy but everyone knew and addressed her as "Fred" If anyone knows her I'd love to hear from you have wondered about Fred for years now.

[@keithlongworth2350]

There will never be another horse like Red Rum real class.

[@RiMind]

wow a baby look at him go!

[@amandaj.barnes5919]

He loved the ⛱

[@quick46]

He did you know, he slipped over on the bend at Haydock once........in addition to Macer Gifford unseating Brian Fletcher in the Greenhalls when he ploughed into the back of him......but he never actually 'fell' at a fence....

[@ASupremeOwl]

What is this awful background music? Jesus christ...

[@johnnyserdon9694]

The music was brilliant