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L’escargot became one of the most popular horses in training during the early to mid 1970’s and still remains one of only two horses to have won both The Cheltenham Gold Cup and the Grand National (the other being Golden Miller way back in 1934).

The horse had won dual Cheltenham Gold Cups in 1970 and 1971 under regular jockey Tommy Carberry before trying his luck in the Grand National for the first time in 1972.
He was unfortunately knocked over at the third that year before going on to finish third and then second in the following two Grand Nationals under top weight, beaten by the Aintree legend that is Red Rum.

By 1975 the dual Gold Cup winner was 12 years old, but dropping in the weights and, therefore, for the first time was receiving 11 lbs from Red Rum. No Irish horse had won the National since Mr What in 1958, but the horse with seven seasons under his belt had been specifically geared up for Aintree in 1975 by trainer Dan Moore, including a prep run at the Cheltenham Festival over an inadequate two miles.

By now he was also regularly fitted with blinkers to galvanise a renewed concentration. L’escargot duly obliged, pulling clear up the run in for Carberry, carving his name into horse racing history in the process with Red Rum back in second place.


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L'escargot was owned by Raymond Guest, a former International Polo player and American ambassador to Ireland.  Guest had originally set himself the unlikely ambition of owning an Epsom Derby, a Cheltenham Gold Cup and an Aintree Grand National winner.  He completed the first leg of the unique treble twice having won the Epsom Derby with both Larkspur in 1962 and Sir Ivor in 1968.  L’escargot went on to complete the dream with success at Cheltenham in 1970 and 1971 before his glorious defeat of Red Rum in 1975.  

 

Having purchased his first horse in 1937, Guest had spent over two decades trying to win the Aintree showpiece. He had originally wanted to christen the horse ‘Lets go’, being by Escari III and out of Give It A Go, but with the name gone Guest settled for the French similar sounding L’escargot. 

 

After his Grand National victory in 1975 L’escargot was immediately given a well deserved retirement by his American owner and presented as a gift to trainer Dan Moore’s wife Joan. He did however run once more, following a misunderstanding, when narrowly beaten in the Kerry National. Guest was so upset that he flew the horse back to his home in America where L’escargot sadly passed away at the age of 21 in June 1984.

 

L’escargot was a regular at The Cheltenham Festival, first winning there at the 1968 meeting over hurdles as a five year old.  He still remains one of the all time equine greats with no horse having won both Gold Cup and Grand National since his victory in 1975.