The Irish-trained Davy Lad, who had won the Sun Alliance Hurdle in 1975 went on to a brilliant win at the 1977 Cheltenham Gold Cup. However this year he had won the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup and the Mildmay Memorial Chase at Sandown. For the first time since 1946 the current Cheltenham Gold Cup winner lined up at Aintree. After a lacklustre display at Newcastle regular jockey Brian Fletcher was replaced by the popular Tommy Stack who had ironically briefly trained the horse before his move to McCain. A legend. He is the only animal to my knowledge to put in an appearance on the BBCs Sports Personality of the Year award. Skip to content Sporting Chronicle® CHURCHTOWN BOY had run well to finish in 1976 and was looking to become the first horse to win the elusive Topham Trophy/Grand National double having won a competitive Topham two days earlier. He had changed stables and now in the hands of Fred Rimell he had won a very competitive Welsh National (his second "National" having won the Midlands equivalent at the end of 1975) . He became the most famous racehorse of all time and he stayed in training for one final attempt at the National. One of my favourite horses in training at the time was the top class ZETA`S SON who had fallen at Bechers in the 1976 Topham and had then disappointed when fancied for the Irish National. Favouritism went to the Roddy Armtage trained BARONA who had had his rider pulled off at first Bechers the previous year but had gained some compensation when landing the Scottish Grand National a week later. He was making history as he was to be partnered by Charlotte Brew who was the first lady rider to line up in the race. Stamina would not be a problem for debutant JOLLY`S CLUMP who had won two valuable long distance chases at the turn of the year, the Bass Handicap at Cheltenham and the Warwick National . Red Rum spent his retirement opening supermarkets, betting shops and making personal appearances. NEWS OF THE WORLD GRAND NATIONAL HANDICAP CHASE (76 entries) 4 1/2 miles, £37,420 to the winner, £11,410 to the second, £5,630 to the third & £2,740 to the fourth, S.P : 7-1 Barona, 10-1 Red Rum, 12-1 Jolly`s Clump, Money Market & Tregarron, 13-1 Prolan, 14-1 RAG TADE, 22-1 Ceol-na-Mara & Spanish Steps, 25-1 The Dickler, 28-1 Eyecatcher, Glandford Brigg & Golden Rapper, 33-1 Churchtown Boy, High Ken, Highway View, Meridian II & Roman Bar, 50-1 Black Tudor, Boom Docker, Merry Maker & Nereo, 60-1 Colondine, 66-1 Perpol & Spittin Image, 80-1 Ballybright, 100-1 Huperade, Indian Diva, Ormonde Tudor, Sandwilan & Tudor View, Ballybright*, Black Tudor*, Boom Docker, Ceol-Na-Mara*, Churchtown Boy, Colondine*, Golden Rapper*, Highway View*, Indian Diva*, Jollys Clump*, Meridian II*, Merry Maker*, Ormonde Tudor*, Perpol*, Prolan*, Roman Bar, Sandwilan, Spittin Image, Thomond*, Tregarron*, Trained by Fred Rimell at Kinnersley, Worcestershire.
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