THE DEFEAT OF CRISP IN RED RUM'S 1973 GRAND NATIONAL

[@paullynton-green6570]

What a wonderful tribute from a very kind and modest man.would love to find Richards full tribute to the marvellous crisp.what a horse.

[@harrys8001]

I was there in the winners enclosure with David Coleman. Fair play to Pitman for admitting his mistake kudos to him

[@petemayes1940]

Thankyou for the memories Richard..............what a man you are

[@keithknight1686]

Sometimes the stars align. Red Rum is credited with saving the Grand National. If Richard had'n't made that mistake we might not have enjoyed fifty more Grand Nationals. In fact come April 15th we might be watching a poor replica of the Grand National at somewhere like Larkhill, as someone suggested. Subconsciously, Richard, you might have saved the Grand National. Anyway, Crisp's performance that day was the greatest performance any horse has put-up in my lifetime. Crisp very nearly achieved the impossible. Red Rum remains the greatest Grand National horse and yet Crisp gave him 23Ibs and very nearly beat him. I don't believe even Arkle could have given weight to Red Rum at Aintree and beat him. God bless you, Richard. You are more of a hero than you know.

[@thejockeyclub1750]

I think you have summed that up rather well!

[@Mike20216]

Wonderfully put Keith, I concur with every word

[@UXB-p5u]

Saw 'McCain' talking about this iconic race.....not a single word for Crisp or Richard everything was totally about 'his great success' and how 'great' Red Rum was....your absolutely right 'Ginger' but humility was never one of your finer traits. What saddened me is the way the greatest National horse in history wasn't allowed to retire peacefully and quietly as long as you could make lot's of money from exploiting Red Rum into old age you would and did. Shame!! How so different Dick Pitman and Ginger McCain.

[@levenscott645]

It is a true test of character to admit a mistake on the biggest stage, so hats off to Richard Pitman. I still have a photo of Crisp on my bookshelf: his noble equine head unfaded. Saw Red Rum win his second Grand National, and he was an out and out champion. But he could not have beaten Crisp, the greatest jumper of all, at set weights.

[@Ross-e9o]

I’ve got to be honest, I can’t watch this race without getting emotional at seeing this magnificent horse getting beaten. No disrespect to Red Rum who is a legend but what a horse Crisp was.

[@Thanks_for_posting.]

Thanks for posting

[@UXB-p5u]

An engaging interesting decent man Richard 'Dick' Pitman without question with his legendary partner Crisp gave the greatest ever performance in the Grand National when the course was still as us older one's remember it and before the legendary fences including Beechers Brook The Chair Valentine's Brook etc were altered and reduced in height on the landing side. Would love to meet the great man and be able to ask him what I'm sure many thousands of people have asked him since 1973 but more of a thrill for me would be able to sit quite (especially in Richard's beautiful sitting room) and just listen to him recount his memories of that historic day and of his career and life as a leading National Hunt Jockey especially Richard's weighing room colleagues and friends some remarkable men in those days as tough and uncompromising on the track with many colourful characters who enjoyed a drink or two...fabulous times tough men most sadly no longer with us....Best Wishes Richard 🐎🐎🐎🙏❤️🐎🐎🐎

[@alanmansell9845]

What a chaser crisp was !

[@KerryOki66]

An absolute gentleman ❤

[@ronaldmasters4031]

The greatest race I have ever ever witnessed, CRISP the GREATEST horse never to win the Grand national, under the welter burden of 12 stone, against the best horses ran the field absolutely ragged. And jumped superbly, little did CRISP KNOW that, that Red rum was to become a legend in the next 4 years, which will never be rivalled, CRISP you will always be a wonderful reminder of what national hunt racing is all about, GOD BLESS YOU, AND ALL YOUR CONNECTIONS ❤️❤️🙏🙏

[@stephenholmes1036]

No Weinburgh was 2nd , 3 times

[@stephenholmes1036]

Brian Fletcher told me he knew he'd catch him after seeing his tail flick crossing the Melling road. Which he did steadily catching him, Great riding by Brian something people fail to acknowledge! Richard is very hard on himself with his last comment we are all human and we all maje errors.

[@stephenholmes1036]

I saw him beaten by the Dikler my favourite in the gold cup and whitbread later in 1973/74. He should have been kept to 2 to 3 miles

[@mrghiax]

Look at it this way Richard, you didn't lose to just any horse, you narrowly lost to the Greatest Grand National horse of all time Red Rum. That in itself is a remarkable achievement. By losing you gave us a 3 time Grand National winner (something many believed was impossible) and a winner that saved Aintree. They were both great horses in their own ways.

[@frankschlanker]

Is that Stan Boardsman at 5:42 to the right of the jockeys head?

[@dlamiss]

Id say yes

[@DJDannyN2009]

Legend

[@WA.angler]

Bless crisp and red rum

[@paulwilliams-or8hq]

Crisp basically carried a bag of cement extra that day and to be beaten literally in the last 5 metres after 3 miles and some jumping with that weight was unbelievable effort

[@davidmalpass7129]

Still talking about CRISP after all this time tells you something.

[@georgemurray542]

When you compare Crisp's feat to that of Arkle's in the Massey Ferguson won by Flying Wild it makes you realise just how special it was. They claimed after the race the trip 2m5f round Cheltenham was too short for Arkle but that could be said about the 2nd that day Bob Turnell's Buona Notte who was hving his first ever 2nd season chase. Buona Notte was receiving 26lbs from Arkle and but for ploughing through the last fence the previously unbeaten young horse would have won easily. Make no mistake Buona Notte was brilliant, had won the Supreme, The Wayward Lad and the HenryVii was unbeaten and his victories included beating Dunkirk. Little doubt he would have become Arkle's biggest rival so Arkle lost nothing when failing to beat this brilliant young horse 26'bs. Sadly Buona Notte lost his life in his very next race. Now compare what Crisp done. While the Massey Fergus may not have been Arkle's ideal trip he had won chases at shorter trips, It's certainly safe to say the 4 miles and 2½ furlongs was not Champion Chase winner Crisps ideal trip. When you consider he was giving Red Rum 25lbs it has to be right up there with one of the best weight carrying performances of all time, You could argue Buona Notte was a classier chaser than Red Rum? At 3 miles for sure but there's never been a better 4miler than Red Rum except Crisp.

[@michaelreedy3987]

Crisp did beat Red Rum at level weights later that year. No real comfort

[@stephenholmes1036]

Only over 3 miles and Brian didnt push Red rum

[@ianmedlen4633]

He may have a made a boyish mistake it takes a man to admit

[@JackBurton-w7x]

Still believe Richard went too hard on the magnificent ex Aussie Crisp who arrived in Uk by boat with Fred Winter exclaiming he looked like a giant teddy bear and this 2and half miler just couldn’t sustain Richards manic gallop and lug 12 stone. Miracle he cleared the last but was still a country mile clear of the indomitable Rummy. Richard was i always felt terrible in a finish but Crisp had nothing left to give him anyway. The only reason Crisp kept trying was his spirit of never giving up. I like Richard and I feel he is a great guy, he was a good jockey but a great presenter and he comes across as a nice guy. Pity he lost out on National glory

[@kurman4749]

What people seem to forget is that Red Rum did what Crisp couldn't do...carry 12 stone to victory. Red Rum is the only Grand National winner since the end of the Second World War to carry that weight to victory in the race.

[@UXB-p5u]

Which 'people' ?

[@ascott6328]

amazing he is still in good shape, the greatest race ever, tremendous courage from all involved.

[@katewild2194]

I can tell you he was a hopeless jockey how Fred Winter had him as his stable jockey is amazing Mr Winter told him when he was riding Pendil in the Gold Cup whaever you do Dont get behind High Ken as he is a bad jumper I dont need to tell you what the dope did. Any other jockey would have won on Crisp any body who knows anything about racing will tell you he went to fast I would not have him ride a donkey never mind a race horse.