It was Desert Icon who proved to be the main threat to Murtagh, but Total Gallery managed to keep his gallop to win by a neck. Moore mentioned that Total Gallery ran excellently. He was really happy that they managed to beat Global City, one of the favorites, by three and a half lengths.

Moore also mentioned that while the Prix de l’Abbaye was his aim at the end of the season, similar races wouldn’t go amiss.

In the meantime, Greenisland managed to stay strong with Robert Havlin to create a surprise win at the EBF Hotel Chocolat Fillies’ Handicap at Newmarket. Hughie Morrison’s horse was listed at 66-1, mainly due to only having one success from her six previous starts.

Greenisland got out to a quick lead, putting a distance of several lengths between her and favorite Balaagha early on; however the pursuing pack started to eat into her lead coming up to the final furlong, yet Greenisland battled bravely for a fantastic win, whilst Balaagha – after a shaky start did eventually manage to dead heat with Mo Mhuirnin for second place.

Havlin mentioned that Greenisland is indeed a tough horse for despite being blind in one eye; she battled for first place once she heard the other horses coming along.

This versatility has been proven and is one reason why we’ve selected him as one of racing tips on more than one occasion recently, after winning the 2000 Guineas (over a mile), the Epsom Derby (over a mile and a half) and then the fine display over more than 10 furlongs at Sandown.

Kinane also mentions that it is his great presence of mind and temperament that makes him give such performances. In fact, he also mentioned that Sea the Stars is a really unusual character that likes taking everything in, and is rather a show off.

Kinane states that this is a really unique horse as he was the first horse he had ridden which was capable enough of winning a Guineas, a Group One and the Derby – an astonishing achievement in reality.

Kinane went on to say that he and John Oxx will have to hold a meeting with the owner sometime this week. Though they know that the Irish Champion Stakes is their main aim, they have to discuss where they will be going before that.

Peter Reynolds, the racing manager to Ballymacoll Stud mentioned that they were very happy with his run and always knew that this was a horse that would give his best later in the season. In fact, he has beaten most horses pretty well, but more recently has just been beaten by two good horses on the day.

And so at the moment it appears as if they are aiming at trying Conduit at King George next month, where they expect the mile and a half to be the optimum distance for their charge. Meanwhile, trainer Rae Guest is really anticipating seeing his hero of the stable, Serious Attitude return to the track in the Group Three Cuisine de France Summer Stakes at York on Friday.

As a juvenile, this three year old remained unbeaten in three starts, and has tasted Group One success before – and in so doing set a high standard which will need to be maintained.

The tough step up in standard showed recently however, and while she was the favorite for the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket, she ended up seventh in latter stages despite running well at the start.

Consistency is the key and it will be interesting to see how Rae Guest’s little star does when running more races at a higher level.

However, you’d be amazed just how many I people I meet or speak with who do not have any way of telling whether they are making a profit or not!

They simply place a few bets each week and ‘guestimate’ whether they’ve made a profit - usually based upon whether they had more winners than losers - but this is a classic and all too popular mistake.

Did you know that it IS possible to have less winners than losers and yet still make a healthy profit?

Those of you that either are a member of my racing tips service or are regular readers of my blog will know that I am not really self-serving, I do not like to brag about my success - its just not me, but today I’d like to share something with you all.

And this isn’t bragging really, I was just curious last night as to how we’ve done these past four months, and this is the discovery that I made:

> In the past Four Months - even if you’d only been backing our selections at  £10 a point - you’d be in profit to the tune of £1,815.50.

Many of my members are backing more than this and so will have reaped the rewards, however it goes to show that no matter how large or small your stake, you can make a decent profit - if you bet correctly.

And of course, I have already agreed to freeze membership prices for this year due to the state of the economy and so it could not be a better time to join up with us and share in our success.

Plus as always there is a no-risk trial, so click on the link if you’d like to try my free horse racing tips for 21 days.

You may remember that Part One of this article ended with Ginger McCain purchasing Red Rum at the end of the 1972 National Hunt season.

Part Two of this series now looks at the how Ginger McCain’s influence enabled Red Rum to become the famous race horse that he became, and with an interesting training regime too.

Against All Odds His Potential Would Be Realised

Red Rum’s association with Liverpool began long before his reign as arguably the most famous racehorse in Britain. As previously mentioned, as a two-year-old he made his debut at Aintree, ending in a dead-heat with Curlicue. This was however on the flat course at Aintree and not the famous National Hunt course we all know and love.

Interestingly, watching the race that day was none other than Ginger McCain, who’s name would be forever associated with the famous Red Rum.

Although Red Rum suffered with a debilitating bone disease in his foot, Ginger McCain saw the potential of the horse and felt it was a minor obstacle that could be overcome. For many horses and their trainers, this would mean the end of a racing career before it even began, but not Red Rum.

Ginger McCain trained Red Rum in the sand and shallow waters at Southport in Merseyside, not far from Liverpool. It is believed by many experts that this is the reason that Rummy was able to overcome his disability and race at an unprecedented world-class level.

History In The Making

Ginger McCain now believed that Red Rum was in his prime, and in 1973 the racing public saw Red Rum, benefiting from the training on the local Southport sands, winning what is considered the most exciting Grand National race of all time.

Having been at one stage more than 20 lengths adrift of the giant Australian horse Crisp, ridden by Richard Pitman, the great horse kept going, running the race to absolute perfection. With Crisp showing signs of tiring, Red Rum would steadily eat into his lead, and push on as they reached the famous elbow at Aintree.

Crisp was exhausted at this point, having lead the race from the start, but could only watch as Red Rum pipped him at the post to win a memorable race. This is perhaps the moment that signified Red Rum’s destiny to become the famous race horse that he became.

And Rummy would repeat the feat the following year. In 1974’s race, Red Rum was listed as third favourite at 11-1, however he secured his second Grand National with a near perfect run. By the Canal Turn second time round he was right up with the leaders and yet still on the bridle! With four fences left he had the lead and never lost it.

Winning the 1973 and 1974 meant that Red Rum was the first horse since Reynolds Town back in the 1930’s to win successive Grand Nationals, and at this stage the experts were predicting he was a famous race horse in the making.

In fact 1974 was arguably Red Rum’s best season, as in addition to winning his second Grand National at Aintree he landed the Scottish National as well, and only narrowly lost out to Red Candle in the Hennessy Gold Cup at Newbury.

Part three of my story about Red Rum is here => Famous Racehorse Red Rum

Of course at the time of the race, the two O’Brien’s were neck and neck with Aidan having drawn level with his namesake Vincent, but this soon changed when the Epsom runner up managed to give Johnny Murtagh his fourth win in the race, and his overall seventh.

John Oxx’s Epsom hero and a horse that has done me and my members proud of late, Sea The Stars was absent for the race because of the going. And it was this same factor that helped Fame And Glory gain a lead of a furlong and a half over Golden Sword as Fame And Glory reveled in the conditions. Mourayan ended up coming home in third place in the race.

Aidan O’Brien said that he was delighted with the win, and that though Fame And Glory took some time to gain his peak fitness, it was his great winter that helped him get to where he is now..

This article will look at the amazing career of this great horse and the incredible story of his rise to fame, which came completely against all the odds, something that not many people are aware of.

In order to follow all of Red Rum’s colourful history, this article is in three parts, of which this is Part One.

Probably the most famous racehorse of all time - Red Rum

It all started at the Rossenarra Stud in Kells in County Kilkenny, Ireland. From his Sire, a grey stallion named ‘Qorum’ and his Dam ‘Mared’ on 3 May 1965, this is where arguably the most famous race horse of all time was born.

As you may now be able to work out, by using the last three letters of the Sire and Dam’s names, the bay foal was christened ‘Red Rum’. It was also famously noted at a later date that it also spelt murder backwards, but this is pure coincidence.

As famous race horses go, for many the first name that springs to mind is the great National Hunt race horse Red Rum.

This article will look at the amazing career of this great horse and the incredible story of his rise to fame, which came completely against all the odds, something that not many people are aware of.

In order to follow all of Red Rum’s colourful history, this article is in three parts, of which this is Part One.

Probably the most famous racehorse of all time - Red Rum

It all started at the Rossenarra Stud in Kells in County Kilkenny, Ireland. From his Sire, a grey stallion named ‘Qorum’ and his Dam ‘Mared’ on 3 May 1965, this is where arguably the most famous race horse of all time was born.

As you may now be able to work out, by using the last three letters of the Sire and Dam’s names, the bay foal was christened ‘Red Rum’. It was also famously noted at a later date that it also spelt murder backwards, but this is pure coincidence.

Red Rum was bred by sprinter Martyn McEnery and it was hoped that he would eventually evolve into a decent flat racing horse, and in fact in his debut race on 7 April 1967 (funnily enough at Aintree, where he would go on to flourish) he ran in the Thursby Plate, where he finished in a dead heat with a horse called Curlicue.

As is often the case with many a famous race horses, Red Rum was considered to be an unremarkable runner to begin with. It also appeared that his sprinting days were numbered.

An Unconventional Racing Start

At a price of 400 Guineas, Red Rum the yearling was bought and broken in by former Champion Hurdle-winning jockey Tim Molony. However, Red Rum would then be passed from yard to yard, a far cry from the famous race horse that he became.

Eventually he ended up under the ownership of a woman called Lurline Brotherton, whose sole ambition was to own the winner of the Grand National.

It was at this point that great things were expected of Red Rum (often affectionately known as ‘Rummy’), but during the 1969/1970 season after having run fourteen times over hurdles, he did not record a single victory. The loss of form was a mystery.

By October 1970, Red Rum embarked on the Novice Chase Campaign and by the end of the season had won or been placed in all 13 of the chases that season. And so it appeared that perhaps his form had returned.

The Course Of Racing History Was Changed With One Decision

However, during the 1971/1972 season things again were not so easy going. the season was a tough one, and although Red Rum did record 2 victories at Catterick it was feared that he would not fulfil his potential.

A huge decision was made by Lurline Brotherton, who frustrated by Red Rum’s mixed race fortunes and escalating vet bills due to the bone disease pedalostitis, she entered him for Doncaster’s August Sale of 1972.

This was to be the start of a new beginning for the soon to be famous race horse.

And so despite question marks over both his health and his form, Red Rum was bought for the sum of 6,000 Guineas on behalf of Noel le Mare. This is where the then seven-year-old would begin his long and famous tenure at car dealer Donald “Ginger” McCain’s Upper Aughton Road stables in Liverpool.

At the time in the Summer of 1972, who would have thought that this would be a famous and successful partnership that would continue for the next 23 years?

Part two of my story of Red Rum is here => Famous Racehorse Red Rum

Just when we’ve gotten some momentum we’ve hit a brick wall, but the past two days have gotten us back to profitable ways so I hope that you’ve all ridden the storm.

I say that because this is where so many punters that I now make a BIG mistake; they have a few losers and then either don’t place another bet, or they look to change their strategy.

This, as I say is a BIG mistake - HUGE in fact.

You must, absolutely must stick to your strategy - whether this is the horses that you select or your staking amount - you should not deviate away from what has gotten you success in the past. At the end of the day horse racing is gambling, and (unfortunately) a few losers are to be expected.

So, yesterday we hit back with Fastnet Storm (who we advised at 5/1 so I hope you got on that price) winning the 3.10pm at Pontefract for a one point win. This was an impressive win for the Irish horse and fully justified the information that we got for him, as his price came in during the late morning and the SP ended up at 11/4.

The second bet we advised yesterday was Mr Crystal in the 4.10pm at Pontefract. The Micky Hammond trained gelding ran a great race but was pipped on the line by a neck by the impressive Markington, who had started slowly but came on strong late-on to deny us a double on the day.

So a decent day with 3 points profit on the day, and we’ll be looking to continue this form up to the month end with some exciting meetings coming up.

His immaculate performance at Royal Ascot on Ladies’ Day, really did prove to be a crowd thriller
Once Murtagh managed to get Yeats to maintain a steady pace, there was nothing holding him back from winning the two and a half mile showpiece. Even the chase given by the young pretender Patkai did not stop the eight year old from a momentous victory.

Patkai managed to end up three and a half lengths behind Yeats, while the runner up for the past two years and my tip, Geordieland had to be content with third place this time.

Murtagh said that just as Muhammad Ali told everyone, and was the greatest, Yeats too had managed to prove to everyone that he is the ultimate heavyweight champion. He said that the defeat at Navan was because of the soft ground, and tried to tell everyone this.

However no one believed him, and instead, people were picking holes in Yeats. As I previously mentioned in my blog, I too felt the ground was unsuitable, however we should still not underestimate what an achievement this fourth consecutive Gold Cup win is.

O’Brien said that as he was sick that morning, and that he hadn’t expected this win to materialize. He stated that at the start of the race, they knew that they would not get this opportunity to create history again and knew they had to put their best in the race.

However as Yeats loves fast ground and Royal Ascot, it was only natural for him to come alive for this race. And come alive he did, winning an unprecedented fourth title on the bounce – in the end much to frustration!