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
Colin Brown (jockey) Imperial Cup, 1987 Fighting Fifth Hurdle and 1988 Kingwell Hurdle. He rode the 1989 Grand National winner Little Polveir when completing the course in the 1986 Grand National and when falling in the 1987 Grand National. He also partnered the 1988 Grand National winner, Rhyme 'n' Reason, to victory in the Mildmay Cazalet Memorial Chase at Sandown Park three months before his win at Aintree Racecourse. Brown retired as a jockey after riding at the Cheltenham Festival on March 17, 1988. Colin Brown (jockey) Colin Brown (born August 16, 1955) is a former National Hunt jockey in the UK, best