1981 Grand National In second place was the 8/1 favourite, Spartan Missile, ridden by 54-year-old amateur jockey and grandfather John Thorne. The story of Bob Champion and Aldaniti was made into a film "Champions", with John Hurt portraying Champion. The film is based on Champion's book "Champion's Story", which he co-wrote with close friend and racing journalist and broadcaster Jonathan Powell. 1981 Grand National The 1981 Grand National was the 135th renewal of the Grand National horse race that took place at Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool, England, on 4 April 1981. It is remembered for the winning horse Aldaniti, who had recovered from
1999 Grand National attracted the attention of punters. Her 10/1 starting price also had a lot to do with her being partnered by champion jockey Tony McCoy, which countered the three negatives of the horse being a seven-year-old, French-trained, and a mare (no horse of her age, sex or nationality had won the race for over 40 years). She was travelling well, at the rear of a leading group of 12 runners when she fell heavily and fatally at Becher's Brook on the second circuit. Other popular fancies in the market were 1998 Scottish National winner Baronet, 1997 and 1998 Grand National runner-up