Horse racing is full of twists and turns, with some moments that stand out in the history of the sport that may never be replicated again. The excitement and unpredictability of horse racing are what make the sport special, attracting an audience from all across the world to tune in to some of the biggest races on the planet.
The popularity of the sport is also increasing, with new fans of the sport attending racecourses for the atmosphere, some watch from home for the thrill of the race, while some might simply be just taking advantage of free bets.
Nonetheless, horse racing is a sport growing in popularity, thanks to some extremely incredible moments taking the world by storm, so today we are going to be taking a look at a few.
Mon Mome – 2009 Grand National
The Grand National of 2009 will go down in history as not only one of the greatest moments in horse racing history, but one of the greatest moments in sports history. The Grand National is one of the biggest races in the horse racing calendar, commencing every year at the famous Aintree Racecourse.
Plenty of horses have won the prestigious event over the years and made a name for themselves, but Mon Mome made a moment of magic that cemented its name in the history of the sport.
In 2009, Mon Mome and Jockey Liam Treadwell took the track for the infamous steeplechase at the odds of 100/1, with bookies predicting a seemingly impossible chance of winning the esteemed first place.
However, defying all odds, Mon Mome managed to avoid all collisions and reach the final fence, where he managed to pull away from the favourites and more experienced horses, holding his position and taking first place by at least 6 lengths.
This is just one of a few times that a 100/1 horse has managed to finish first in the Grand National, cementing the rider and horse in the history of the sport.
Mine That Bird – 2009 Kentucky Derby
2009 was a year filled with incredible moments that stunned the world of horse racing, with the Kentucky Derby also providing a breathtaking moment. The Kentucky Derby is one of the most popular races in the US and even the world, with some of the biggest names in the sport participating each year.
The race is watched around the world thanks to the excitement and incredible racing we see each year, but 2009 was a particularly special event. With extremely poor conditions on the morning of the race, Mine That Bird’s odds set him as the 3rd least favourite to win at 50/1.
At the start of the race, these odds seemed fair, with the horse sitting at 8 lengths behind the rest of the field, looking to be ruled out from the very beginning. However, jockey Calvin Borrel lined up the house on the rail and began to make one of the greatest comebacks seen at the Derby.
Once they got going, there didn’t look like anything that could stop the horse, breaking the record for the quickest quarter mile run at the Kentucky Derby. With that speed, Mine That Bird took a 6 and ¾ length lead, winning the Kentucky Derby despite the odds and extremely slow start.
Crisp vs Red Rum
Another great moment at the iconic Aintree Grand National came in the 1973 event, where two giants of the sport at the time came head to head for one of the most prestigious awards horse racing has to offer. Crisp completely dominated the race, taking on hurdles effortlessly and looking like there was no way anyone could stop him.
By the 2nd to last fence, Crip had a lead of 20 lengths and looked as though he would cross the finish line with little to no competition. Beyond what anyone had thought, Red Rum managed to catch up to Crisp before the final fence, going head to head on the final stretch of the race.
Ordinarily, Crisp would have still been in an extremely comfortable position to win, however, the company of Red Rum was far too pressuring and allowed the 2nd place horse to overtake and crown Red Rum as the winner of the 1973 Grand National by ¾ of a length.
Red Rum would then go on to be one of the most successful horses in the history of the sport, taking home 2 more Grand Nationals in the coming years.
Grundy vs Bustino – 1975 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes
1975 Royal Ascot brought us one of the most incredible, fast-paced races we have ever seen. 3-year-old Grundy was set to go head to head with 4-year-old Bustino for the 1st place spot, and these expectations did not disappoint.
From the minute the gates had opened, Grundy and Bustino were glued together, even to the point of the two crossing the line. After what was an incredibly fast-paced race, Grundy was first over the line by half a length, but what made the win so impressive was the speed at which the two had raced.
Grundy had set the record for the track, beating the previous record by 2 ½ seconds, cementing his name into the history of the race.
