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
Evan Williams (jockey) 16 July 2001, aged 89. Evan Williams (jockey) Evan Morgan Williams (9 May 1912 – 12 July 2001) was a horse racing jockey born in Cowbridge, Wales, in 1912. He won the 1937 Grand National on Royal Mail, and he won the Cheltenham Gold Cup in 1936 (on Golden Miller) and 1940 (on Roman Hackle). Evan Williams' father, Fred, was an amateur jockey. After service in the armed forces during the Second World War, he became a trainer and won the first running of the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes in 1951 (with Supreme Court). He later relocated