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
1931 Grand National landed on him, and Drin was euthanised after incurring a leg fracture at Valentine's Brook. 1931 Grand National The 1931 Grand National was the 90th renewal of the world-famous Grand National horse race that took place at Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool, England, on 27 March 1931. The steeplechase was won by Grakle, at odds of 100/6. The nine-year-old was ridden by jockey Bob Lyall and trained by Tom Coulthwaite for owner Cecil Taylor, who collected the £9,310 prize. Gregalach, winner in 1929, finished in second place; Annandale was third and Rhyticere fourth. Forty-three horses ran and all but two returned