RACES THAT WILL LIVE WITH ME UNTIL I BREATHE NO MORE. & SEVEN FANCIES FOR SEVEN RACES.

Between the years 1973 and 2016 I could not imagine that any other race than the 1973 Grand National would be top of my all-time favourite races. 

I had no money riding on either Red Rum or Crisp in 1973. I would have backed Spanish Steps as he was my favourite horse in training at the time, and perhaps remains my favourite racehorse of all time, though Denman and Frodon have on occasions usurped him. 38 horses faced the starter in 1973, of which 17 completed the course. 4 of those 17 broke the course record. For one it was the beginning of legendary status. It was, in my opinion, the greatest horse race of my lifetime and Crisp put up the greatest individual performance I ever witnessed.

Does anyone believe that any horse could give Red Rum 23Ibs at Aintree and beat him? I would not have backed Arkle to give so much weight and a beating to Red Rum at Aintree over the Grand National distance. 3/4-length seperated Crisp and Red Rum at the finish. 9-minutes 1.9 seconds broke the race record by nearly 20-seconds, with the L'Escargot and Spanish Steps in 3rd and 4th also finishing the race within the previous record time.

Crisp was nothing short of sensational. He led from the first fence to the shadow of the finishing post, jumping Aintree like no other, dismissing talk of the ferocious nature of the race with the disdain of a horse determined to demonstrate to his jockey and the racing world how to conquer every single one of those big bad fences. He did though peck at the first. Richard Pitman, not wanting to fight Crisp and use-up his limited stamina, sat quietly and enjoyed the ride. He blames himself for the eventual defeat by pulling his stick through to give Crisp an encouraging tap at the elbow, causing the big horse to wobble as his strength depleted and for Brian Fletcher to sweep by only a matter of yards before the winning post.

A brilliant ride by Flecther. An even better ride from Pitman. A magnificent spectacle until the final few seconds. Even now, when I rewatch the race, my heart hopes for Crisp to hold on.

In more recent times Denman's 2008 Cheltenham Gold Cup wowed me to tears. I had predicted that Denman was the best steeplechaser since Arkle, that day he provided evidence that I might have been right. His heart condition banished my prediction to the waste bin, of course, but even so his dominant win over Kauto Star and Neptune Collonge will always live long in my memory.

As will Frodon winning the Ryanair. I became a signed-up member of the Bryony Frost fan club, perhaps the first signee, when she won the Cheltenham Foxhunters on Pasha du Polden. At the time I had no idea who Miss Frost was and hoped as she crossed the line that she would be young enough to turn professional. I will always be of the opinion that given the same opportunities afforded Rachel Blackmore, Bryony would have been equally successful, though it will be a long time before any female wins as many Grade1's in this country as are on Bryony's c.v.

Frodon was never expected to win what he won. He was a summer horse, I believe, yet his victory in the Ryanair and Bryony's soul-inspiring eulogy to him post race - which had Francesca Cumani in tears - was history defining, the first female jockey to win a Grade 1 at the Festival, though Rachel Blackmore went on to win countless Grade 1's at the Festival. It is a race I will never forget.

Kauto Star's fourth win in the Betfair Chase, when everyone bar Paul Nicholls seemed to think the horse was over the top and needed to be retired, was, I believe, his greatest win, silencing the critics and setting him fair to add yet another King George to his c.v. Kauto, is I believe, rather than Denman, the greatest steeplechaser since Arkle. His career record says it all.

Yet my favourite race of all time, the race that will be in my mind eye, I hope, as I take my last breath, will be Sprinter Sacre reclaiming the 2-Mile Championship Chase crown in 2016. If I ever a bit down in the dumps, it is to this race that I turn for the inspirational to get on with life and to be grateful my other half allows me to live. I watched the race on t.v., Channel 4 held the terrestrial rights back then and I plainly heard the crowd cheer with relief when Sprinter jumped into contention at the top of the hill, cheer again when he hit the front and then cheer him again when it was apparent the race was for him to lose. He was not the Sprinter that Barry Geraghty knew but there was enough of the old Sprinter to defeat the following season's Ryaniar and Champion Chase winners. Makes me emotional even now. I hope it always will.

To continue my predicted tale of woe for next week. Next week! Nearly there. King Rasco Grey for the Turners. Final Demand the Brown Advisory. Jump Allen for the Cup Hurdle. French Dynamite the Cross-Country. Marine Nationale, the Champion Chase. Inthepocket Grand Annual & Quiryn for the Bumper. Do not say you have not been warned. 9/5 to the Irish.