Richard Hoiles on the Grand National stalwart who fired his racing passion

Richard Hoiles: How I got hooked on racing

I’m going to choose a horse called The Pilgarlic who ran in four successive Grand Nationals between 1977 and 1980.

Most people remember '77 for being Red Rum’s third victory but for me the memory is for being paid out on The Pilgarlic who finished fourth at 40/1.

I backed him religiously every year after that, right the way through to 1980. He was very slow, you never heard his name mentioned on the first circuit but he’d usually plod on into a place.

He was fifth in '78 and in terms of distance beaten came closest to winning but you weren’t paid out. He was 33/1 and I got a run for my money though.

In '79 he was fourth behind Rubstic when only seven finished and then third a year later under Ron Hyett behind Ben Nevis when only four got home

And that was a race that summed him up, he kept going when others didn’t and I won money from him in three Nationals. He was the horse who was at the back of my mind when I first got into racing.