People have been frightened in a way and go and sit in the doctors, and the surgeries weren’t really open. That’s been a shame actually because I feel in the next two years, there’s going to be a lot more people having cancer because they miss the early parts of it. Niti returned to the Embiricos farm (in the care of Beryl and Wilf Millam) to recuperate from injuries, and later to retire. He died there aged 27, and is buried there. We initially had a few thousand pounds sent in from people who won money on the horse. There were a lot of fivers here and there,” said Champion. I went from 29th to jumping to the front in three fences, just round the Canal Turn, which is a very short distance.

I jumped the last and I always felt there were two horses coming after me. I didn’t know what they were at the time. I thought one was Royal Mail, because I had seen him for the majority of the race. I thought it was him. But at the second last he was getting a bit tired and made a mistake. But I was always convinced I would hold him off. His own heroes: “The best I ever rode with, and the best I’ve ever seen is John Francome. He’s absolute class. He was always on the right stride to a fence because he’d organised things so far out. I’ll never forget his Champion Hurdle ride on Sea Pigeon.”

Champion’s Illness

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.” He set up his charity two years later, which has gone on to help millions of people suffering with cancer, and he has received many awards and adulation for the past 40 years since his famous win at Aintree. Niti” raced 28 times in total with eight wins and 10 places, including third in the Cheltenham Gold Cup and second in the Scottish National. Their legacy is a sense of hope for all those who follow in their paths. They taught us that, even when things look desperate, success is just over the next fence for those who choose to make the jump. I sat on him once for the TV before he went to Liverpool and one morning in Liverpool, then the Grand Naitonal.”

The film came about after Champion wrote a book with racing journalist and broadcaster Jonathan Powell.Things looked grim, but he was given a second chance. An extremely aggressive program of chemotherapy, if begun immediately, might just beat the odds. Champion agreed to begin the treatment the very same day. Aldaniti (by Derek H) could pull like a tank and yet was gentle enough to let 11-year-old Alex Embiricos groom him when on box rest.

verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ 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. Niti played himself in some of the shots in Champions, the film about his and Bob’s story, although he didn’t jump for the film. Six equine doubles were also used, all made up to look like him. By the time the National came around, his odds had been trimmed from 66/1 to 10/1 second-favourite.

The team at the Bob Champion Research and Education Building in Norwich. Bob’s charity fundraising continues. This year he will embark on a near 200‐mile walk to mark the 40th anniversary of his National win. Aldaniti will always be closely connected to Champion, who was in the saddle for each of the horse’s first 22 races. He raced over the famous Aintree fences eight times after returning to Britain, always keeping his eyes on the big prize. However, his career and life was about to take a major detour. Champion’s Illness