Grand National legend Red Rum runs again as Liverpool hologram

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Media caption,

Red Rum's hologram has been on show outside the Royal Liver Building ahead of the Grand National

A hologram of one of the Grand National's most famous winners has gone on show in the city where it first won the race 50 years ago.

Red Rum won the race at Liverpool's Aintree Racecourse in the 1970s and came second twice.

The horse's hologram has been shining outside the city's Royal Liver Building ahead of the 2023 race on Saturday.

Bookmaker Coral, which put on the show, said Red Rum was still the race's "most popular and best-loved winner".

Image caption,

The bookmaker said Red Rum was still the race's "most popular and best-loved winner".

Image source, Coral
Image caption,

Horse racing fans have been capturing their own pictures of the hologram

The horse, which was trained by the hugely successful Ginger McCain, won the annual steeplechase in 1973, 1974 and 1977 and came second in 1975 and 1976.

Its first victory, which saw Red Rum make up a huge gap on frontrunner Crisp to romp home, is considered one of the famous race's most memorable moments.

The Irish champion horse, which died in 1995, took part in 100 races across its illustrious career.

Image source, Gerald England/Geograph
Image caption,

A statue of Red Rum stands in Southport's Wayfarer Arcade

Coral's David Stevens said while it was five decades since Red Rum "won the first of those historic three Grand Nationals... he is still the most popular and best-loved winner of the most famous race in the world".

"We hope his many fans will enjoy seeing Rummie come 'back to life'," he said.

"We think the hologram is a fitting tribute to Red Rum on the anniversary of that famous first National victory."

The much-loved champion is also remembered at Aintree, where a life-size statue stands and the annual Red Rum Handicap Chase takes place, and in the form of a statue and a mural in Southport, where McCain lived.

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