Crisp 1973 Grand National

[MIKE21071964]

God I cried

[mtenor]

bad ride by pitamn

[pmus1]

what ever you say about this race there was probably only one horse in the history of the grand national to the guts,determination and know how to win from where red rum came from and unfortunately for crisp that freak of a horse was coming up right behind him.......one of the the best ever nationals.

[2610dennis]

12 stone on his back; an awesome weight carrying performance...I don't think the jockey could have done much more (although he does look a bit agricultural with his method), the horse's legs were turning to jelly whilst Red Rum still looked fresh by comparison as they ran to the line and just needed pushing out after a few whips.

[Baskerville22]

Crisp was the best. Gave Red Rum 23 lbs & was beated a length after a bad ride....

At level weights, it's Crisp by a half-furlong.

[Hallifordboy1]

@Baskerville22 Not that bad a ride-but i agree,Crisp would have won by a half mile on levels with a better Jockey.He too should have a Statute at Aintree.The best National.

[julzyboy1973]

Bry Jones has replied well to your inaccuracies. Fletcher was much under rated and was harshly jocked off Rummy. By now it was 4 years since L'Escargot had won a gold cup, he was carrying less weight and loved the ground. Rummy did very well to even get second. Red Rum was an exceptional horse. Not as classy as Arkle but as a staying chaser he must be the best. Nowadays, you don't see Grand National winners competing in the Scottish Grand National 2 weeks later & winning with top weight.

[godzofwarodin]

@julzyboy1973 red rum was the best staying chaser of all time no argument an i really dont think you can argue wiv that name me a better one?

[julzyboy1973]

@godzofwarodin

Whose arguing? I have said he was the best. Read what I wrote again.

[kopkingstevie]

red rum was a machine and the jockey was brilliant in this race it has to be said perfect timing and he didnt give up on red rum

[ibanez777vbk]

you would have been mortified if you were on crisp.done right on the line.must say crisp jockey r.pitman looked fooking hopeless

[teamplayer028]

Great Australian Horse, true champion, if only the race was 10 yards shorter. What a heartbreaker.

[julzyboy1973]

Liam Cooper did a Pitman on Clan Royal in '04. Ginger McCain is one lucky bastard because if Cooper had not have done that - that old plodder Amberleigh House would never have won it.

[julzyboy1973]

Red Rum won in 74 with top weight proving what a great horse he was but he was very lucky in '73 because Pitman cost Crisp a great victory. Fletcher riding Rummy should get more credit for going after crisp at bechers 2nd time around. But really he should have never of caught him regardless of the top weight he was carrying, Pitman threw it away. Also Andy Pandy was going like a train in '77 and I think he would have won. John Burke lived up to his name.

[Vericacious]

Richard Pitman certainly takes more than his fair share of criticism from the public. ('73 wasn't his luckiest year. Re: Pendil in the Gold Cup, too. If only he'd used the whip in his left hand- not, technically, an error, though. Watch him on Lanzarote in the '74 Champion Hurdle.) As for Red Rum, I agree about '77, but the thinking, inside horse racing, is that he'd have won the '76 National if Tommy Stack hadn't waited for something to happen and gone for home after the second last.

[julzyboy1973]

Fletcher has one of the best records at Aintree.

I will watch the 76 again then to watch Stack 2 out. Rag Trade was nowhere in 75 & 78. Maybe he was just lucky. Did Burke ride him all 3 times? If RT had not been injured in '77, would Burke have chosen him over Andy Pandy?

[mertonparka]

@julzyboy1973 Fletcher cost Red Rum victory in the 75 national! he held him back two from home when Rummie was ready to make his charge Rummie would have Romped home!

[BryJones9]

@mertonparka You dont know your stuff mate L'escargot won in 75 by a mile in soft ground which rummy hated. You may be thinking of 76 when Rag trade won but by then Tommy stack was his jockey (i think)

[ellandrd1306]

rummy jumped aintree 5 times in 73 '74 75'76 and 77 was second twice and first 3 times and never put a fetlock wrong

[julzyboy1973]

Nobody is saying he did. We were simply questioning whether the jockey could have made his move earlier. Its like driving, it does not matter how good the car is, the driver has to be equally good.

[turnpike01]

Pitman was the same useless quality jockey as he is analizer.Total crap.A braver horse I never saw.Lucky,lucky red rum.

[thestrangeenigma]

hoping someone could get back to me on this it look as though crisp is still going to win turning the elbow but as soon as pitman gives him the whip he really slows up perhaps i pitman just gave hands and heels it would have been different very guessy commentary from o' sullivan saying red rums gonna get up only a few yards from the line a legendary race thanks for he upload

[gocashbaby]

The horse could barely pick his feet up off the ground nearing the wire. The high weight was most likely his undoing.

[FlooredByMusic]

That's for sure!! 24 lbs for just over a length?!!! So sad. Red Rum was the winner of the 1973 race but Crisp will always be the hero of it!

[dawkination]

one of the best ever national performances. pittman whipped him with the wrong hand as they approached the elbow which ultimately cost them.

[LuvSickPuppi]

poor crisp!thought the commentator was a bit premature there but hey,he wasnt wrong!

[tigerarmyrule]

In their different ways Crisp's Grand national defeat and Dancing Brave's Derby defeat were more glorious than any win.