Bob Champion Bob Champion Robert Champion MBE (born 4 June 1948) is an English former jump jockey who won the 1981 Grand National on Aldaniti. His triumph, while recovering from cancer, was made into a film "Champions", with John Hurt portraying Champion. The film is based on Champion's book "Champion's Story", which he wrote with close friend and racing journalist and broadcaster Jonathan Powell. Champion was born in Sussex, but very soon after his birth the family moved to Guisborough in the North Riding of Yorkshire. At the height of his career as a jockey, he was diagnosed with testicular cancer in
1926 Grand National 1926 Grand National The 1926 Grand National was the 85th renewal of the world-famous Grand National horse race that took place at Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool, England, on 26 March 1926. The steeplechase was won by Jack Horner, a 25/1 bet ridden by jockey Billy Watkinson and trained by Harvey Leader for American owner Charles Schwartz, who had paid 5,000 guineas for him a week beforehand. Schwartz won £5,000 for the victory. Harvey Leader was a brother of Ted Leader and son of Tom Leader. Old Tay Bridge finished in second place for the second successive year, Bright's Boy was