Run on good going in April 5, 1975, the 1975 Grand National featured 31 runners, but the pre-race hype was all about just one, Red Rum, the winner in 1973 and 1974, who was attempting an unprecedented hat-trick in the world-famous steeplechase. Red Rum once again face L’Escargot, whom he had beaten into third place in 1973 and second place in 1974, but who, in receipt of 11lb, was reopposing on the most favourable terms yet.
Understandably, the pair dominated the betting, with Red Rum sent off hot favourite at 7/2, L’Escargot next best at 13/2 and 12/1 bar the pair, which brought in the SGB Chase and Great Yorkshire winner Rough House. The latter, trained by Fred Rimmell and ridden by John Burke, had fallen at the Canal Turn on the first circuit in 1974, but was an even earlier casualty on this occasion, falling at the notoriously difficult fourth fence.
A total of 10 horses completed the course and, in a finish dominated by the market leaders, L’Escargot, ridden by Tommy Carberry, avenged his previous defeats in taking style. Crossing the Melling Road for the final time, Red Rum and L’Escargot matched strides in the lead, but over the final two fences it soon became clear that the latter was travelling by far the better of the pair. When asked for an effort on the run-in, L’Escargot drew further and further clear and passed the post 15 lengths ahead. Red Rum finished clear second, eight lengths ahead of Spanish Steps, who was, in turn, 12 lengths ahead of the fourth horse home, Money Market.
L’Escargot thus became just the second horse in history, after Golden Miller, to win both the Cheltenham Gold Cup and the Grand National, albeit not in the same season. As noted in commentary by Sir Peter O’Sullevan, his jockey Tommy Carberry also became the first to win the Grand National, Irish Grand National and Cheltenham Gold Cup.