Editing Grand National (section)

===1970s and Red Rum===
The 1970s were mixed years for the Grand National. In 1973, eight years after Mrs. [[Mirabel Topham]] announced she was seeking a buyer, the racecourse was finally sold to property developer Bill Davies. Davies tripled the admission prices, and consequently, the attendance at the [[1975 Grand National|1975 race]], won by [[L'Escargot (horse)|L'Escargot]], was the smallest in living memory. It was after this that bookmaker [[Ladbrokes]] made an offer, signing an agreement with Davies allowing them to manage the Grand National.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.aintree-grand-national.net/grand-national-history.php|title=Aintree Liverpool Grand National History|website=Aintree Grand National|url-status=usurped|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110615001951/http://www.aintree-grand-national.net/grand-national-history.php|archive-date=15 June 2011|access-date=10 June 2011}}</ref>

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 |quote  = '''They're willing him home now! The 12-year-old Red Rum, being preceded only by loose horses, being chased by Churchtown Boy... They're coming to the elbow, just a furlong now between Red Rum and his third Grand National triumph! It's hats off and a tremendous reception, you've never heard one like it at Liverpool... Red Rum wins the National!'''
 |source = Commentator [[Peter O'Sullevan]] describes Red Rum's record third Grand National win in [[1977 Grand National|1977]]
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 |quoted = 1
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During this period, [[Red Rum]] was breaking all records to become the most successful racehorse in Grand National history. Originally bought as a yearling in 1966 for 400 [[Guinea (British coin)|guineas]] (£420),<ref name="ReferenceA">{{cite web |url=http://www.aintree.co.uk/pages/history-of-the-grand-national-red-rum/ |title=Ginger McCain and Red Rum - History of The Grand National |access-date=18 August 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140803191351/http://www.aintree.co.uk/pages/history-of-the-grand-national-red-rum/ |archive-date=3 August 2014 }}</ref> he passed through various training yards before being bought for 6,000 guineas (£6,300) by [[Ginger McCain]] on behalf of Noel le Mare.<ref name="ReferenceA"/> Two days after the purchase while trotting the horse on Southport beach, McCain noticed that Red Rum appeared lame.<ref>{{cite web|title=Grand National History since 1839 {{!}} GrandNational.Org.Uk|url=https://www.grandnational.org.uk/history.php|website=Grandnational.org.uk|access-date=12 April 2018|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180413043834/https://www.grandnational.org.uk/history.php|archive-date=13 April 2018}}</ref> The horse was suffering from [[pedal osteitis]], an inflammatory bone disorder.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.horseshoes.com/advice/pathology/dunivant2/pedalosteitis.htm |title=Ginger McCain and Red Rum - History of The Grand National |access-date=10 June 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110930173757/http://www.horseshoes.com/advice/pathology/dunivant2/pedalosteitis.htm |archive-date=30 September 2011 }}</ref>  McCain had witnessed many lame carthorses reconditioned by being galloped in sea-water.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.funtrivia.com/en/subtopics/Red-Rum-Steeplechasing-Legend-257936.html |title=Red Rum: Steeplechasing Legend |access-date=10 June 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121003165522/http://www.funtrivia.com/en/subtopics/Red-Rum-Steeplechasing-Legend-257936.html |archive-date=3 October 2012 }}</ref> He successfully used this treatment on his newly acquired racehorse.<ref name="ReferenceA"/>

Red Rum became, and remains as of 2018, the only horse to have won the Grand National three times, in [[1973 Grand National|1973]], [[1974 Grand National|1974]], and [[1977 Grand National|1977]]. He also finished second in the two intervening years, [[1975 Grand National|1975]] and [[1976 Grand National|1976]].<ref>[https://www.thejockeyclub.co.uk/aintree/about/history/ The Grand National History] Aintree Racecourse History, The Jockey Club on 13 September 2018</ref>

In 1973, he was in second place at the last fence, 15 lengths behind champion horse [[Crisp (horse)|Crisp]], who was carrying {{cvt|23|lb|lk=on}}. Red Rum made up the ground on the run-in and, two strides from the finishing post, he pipped the tiring Crisp to win by three-quarters of a length in what is arguably the most memorable Grand National of all time. Red Rum finished in 9 minutes 1.9 seconds, taking 18.3 seconds off the previous record for the National which had been set in [[1935 Grand National|1935]] by Reynoldstown.<ref name="grandnational.org.uk"/> His record was to stand for the next seventeen years.<ref name="grandnational.org.uk"/>