Horse racing fans around the world tune in to the Grand National. The 2019 race was viewed by 9 million people alone, and even more placed a bet on the event. A big factor in its ongoing popularity is the fact that it’s steeped in history. This article will explore some of the memorable Grand National races, and one of the biggest shocks of recent sporting history.

Will anyone ever recreate the famous Mon Mome win?

The 2009 Grand National winner was a huge surprise to bettors. Mon Mome went into the race as a +10000 outsider, but he got the job done. It is certainly up there with the biggest upsets throughout sporting history. Could a similar outsider win in 2022? Potter’s Corner is one of several horses listed at +10000 that might be worth a look. Grand National tips and predictions tell punters to look at +5000 outsider Tony Calvin. It might not be as big a shock as Mon Mome in 2009, but it would still be an unexpected triumph.

Don’t Push It finally wins it for AP McCoy in 2010

For a long time, success in the Grand National eluded AP McCoy, one of the finest jockeys of recent history. Thanks to this win in 2010, he avoided the unwanted record of most rides in the race without winning. McCoy had already won many of the major races throughout his illustrious career. A win at the Grand National was very much the icing on top of the cake.

Red Rum wins its third national in 1977

1977 was a memorable year for sport in Great Britain. Virginia Wade became the Ladies Wimbledon champion, Liverpool won the European Cup, and iconic horse Red Rum won its third Grand National. In the year of the Queen’s Jubilee, the horse managed to complete the course in 9 minutes 31 seconds, and more than justified his favorite tag. When taking a wider look at the horse, you could argue that it was one of the most popular horses in racing history.

Amberleigh House becomes one of the oldest winners

The 2004 race was won by a horse trained by the legendary Ginger McCain, 31 years after his first training gig with Red Rum. The pre-race odds of +1600 would have seemed too good to be true at the time. It was the last win of Amberleigh House’s career, and the horse was retired not long after in 2006.

Amberleigh House & Graham Lee winning the 2004 Grand National

What a story! 😍 pic.twitter.com/j1kaG2uaGh

— Racing Tales (@Racing_Tales) April 5, 2021

What makes a memorable Grand National?

Like all the major sporting events, drama and an unfancied underdog winning always make it a memorable event. A rivalry between jockeys can also be important. An extra competitive edge can help push jockeys to reach a new level. A famous example of this involved AP McCoy and Richard Johnson. Experts still argue over which was the better of the two.

The race has remained a focal point in the sporting calendar across the world. Its sheer unpredictability mentioned above has made sure this is still the case, and it will be interesting to see what headlines come out of the 2022 race.