Champion details the treatment he had saying: “The treatment was barbaric those days. They put bleomycin, vinblastine in plating, every day for a week and then a couple of days of APA again. Three days off, hit me again with it, then four days off, hit me for a week again.

The horse must have been the best patient in the world because he was tied up for six months in plaster. He couldn’t lay down. He just stood there at the end of a rope just eating his food for six months. His constitution was great. A lot of horses would have gone crazy – I know I would have done. He was such a wonderful patient. Beryl, who looked after him - they all did a fantastic job. It’s Aldaniti in the lead but being pressed now by Spartan Missile. It’s Aldaniti from Spartan Missile and here comes John Thorne, 54 year old John Thorne putting in a storming finish.

Recognition

He broke down and had injuries for about four times in his life. He spent more time in his box than he did on the racecourse. Josh always said my job was there. I know he never really thought I'd live. But he kept giving me the confidence, which I needed. I started riding out when I came out of hospital, but I couldn't breathe. My lungs had been damaged and the weather was cold, which made it hurt more; so I went to the States, to South Carolina, where the weather was nice and warm. It made things easier. I spent eight months there." John Francome also highights that “Bob was a very good rider. He was good with anything… you never saw him pull one in the mouth, and was always in a good position landing.”

What people forget is that he was only 28 when he quit to take over from Ryan Price training his jumpers and he'd already been champion four times by then. He'd started off on the Flat and been a very good apprentice too, winning big races. Their only outing before the Aintree showpiece was the Whitbread Trial Handicap Chase at Ascot. Aldaniti announced himself as a serious contender after winning by four lengths. The 1981 Grand National (officially known as The Sun Grand National for sponsorship reasons) was the 135th renewal of the Grand National horse race that took place at Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool, England, on 4 April 1981. They're two women that have done a fantastic job for racing, and it's great to see them doing so well. They deserve their success.

GENERAL CONDITIONS OF USE OF THE WEB PORTAL

He added: “Him (Aldaniti), Kybo (who Champion won the 1978 Christmas Hurdle one) and a few other horses kept me going. The chemo was so barbaric those days. You were very ill on it. It was hard and got in your brain because of the treatment, not the disease funnily enough.

The film came about after Champion wrote a book with racing journalist and broadcaster Jonathan Powell. Eventually when I was two out, I thought 'I've got to keep hold of his head' because his legs were like glass and keeping him sound was the most important thing.

GENERAL RESPONSIBILITIES

Image: Aldaniti, with Champion in the saddle, jumps the last fence to go on to win the Grand National Champion knew the agreed tactics had been abandoned at that point and was already arming himself with examples of successful front-running rides to justify his departure from the game plan to Gifford. Although Aldaniti died in 1997 and Bob Champion retired from training horses in 1999, they are both legends of the horse racing world. Bob, selfless as usual, summed up by thanking his loyal supporters: “But most of all, people out there, who supported myself and the cancer trust. This award should really be for you. Every little bit of money going to it gives people like me a chance of living.” On the casting of Hurt, Champion said: “What a professional, every film he’d been in. Sadly, he is not with us anymore. But he was a fantastic man.