Plenty of readers might be settling down to Christmas with Bacardi Rum (other brands are available), but in December 1977, Horse & Hound chose Red Rum instead as Ivor Herbert looked “back over the Christmases the triple Grand National winner has known”.
Red Rum was pictured peering over his stable door, decorated with Christmas cards sent from all over the country, as Herbert gave us his tales of Christmas past, which were every bit as eye-watering as anything Scrooge had to deal with.
“Red Rum had been gelded before his first English Christmas. He was a colt only in Ireland for his first Christmas. There he was turned out with one other in the field called The Gypsy on Martyn McEnery’s Rossenarra Stud. Even then, Roddy O‘Byrne, who was caring for him, and stud groom James Duncan were amazed at how much Canadian oats he ate.”
Given what was about to happen to him in England, it’s no surprise he was getting his oats while he could. Further details of Christmas with Red Rum are here.
