Final Curtain: Tommy Stack's final Grand National, with Red Rum, 2 April 1977

COUNTY Kerry man Tommy Stack owns a slice of Aintree history that will never be forgotten.

The Merseyside racecourse, home to the world's most famous steeplechase, will forever hark back to that famous day 33 years ago when the legendary Red Rum romped home to record a record-breaking third Grand National success.

And Stack was the man in the saddle.

Like many Irish jockeys before and after him, Stack came from humble stock. As John Barrett wrote of him in the Irish Post: "Stack was a farmer's son from North Kerry, where a racehorse wasn't to be seen for miles. He had to work hard for any success that came his way."

After many unsuccessful attempts to kick-start his career, Stack eventually succeeded in getting the attention of Yorkshire trainer Bobby Renton and he never looked back from there.

His first win as an amateur was on 16 October, 1965 on a horse called New Money at Weatherby. Ten years on, Stack was reaching his peak and he was named the National Hunt Champion Jockey for the 1974-75 and 1976-77 seasons with 82 and 97 winners respectively.

But the highlight of Stack's career was assuredly his Aintree win with Red Rum. The gelding, who Stack had also trained for a short time while he juggled professions, had won the Grand National in 1973 and 1974 and in the lead up to the race was regarded as being too over the hill for what is known to be the most dangerous on the jumping circuit.

But under the expert guidance of Stack the horse rolled back the years. The duo took the lead at Becher's Brook on the second circuit of the course when Andy Pandy, the leader and pre-race favourite, fell. After that Red Rum was never in danger of being caught and came home well clear of second-placed Churchtown Boy and Eyecatcher in third.

No horse, before or since, has won the Grand National three times.

Later that year things turned sour for Stack when a bad fall from his mount at Hexam shattered his pelvis. He rebuilt his career as a successful trainer but this wasn't his greatest fightback. Struck down with meningitis in 1998 Stack spent 13 days in hospital unconscious. He has since recovered and remains one of Ireland's top trainers.