2023年12月英语四级（第3套 · 含听力）仔细阅读 Passage 1

In the history of horse racing, few horses have captured the affection of the British public like Red Rum. Today, three decades after his retirement, he is still one of the best-known and most beloved racehorses of all time.
Red Rum was passed around to several owners before being purchased for Noel Le Mar. The agent who made the purchase was the now-legendary horse trainer Donald "Ginger" McCain.
It wasn't apparent at the time, but Red Rum had a serious bone disease in his foot. For many horses (and many trainers) this would mean the end of a racing career before it even began. For Ginger and Red Rum, though, it was just an obstacle to greatness that had to be overcome.
Red Rum's true talent came out in steeplechases (障碍赛马). His power, speed and jumping ability carried him to his first Grand National title in 1973. The very next year, Red Rum returned to take his second title. He was the first horse to take successive firsts since Reynoldstown in 1935-1936. Red Rum's spirit and grace had already begun to charm the leagues of Grand National fans.
In the following two years, Red Rum lost out on the title, coming in second both times. When he returned in 1977 to try again, he was largely regarded as past his prime. He was 12 years old and not expected to place highly. He surprised sporting fans around the world when he came in a remarkable 25 lengths ahead of the nearest horse, taking his third Grand National win. To this day, Red Rum's third win is known as one of the greatest moments in horse racing history.
Red Rum was headed for the Grand National once again in 1978 but suffered an injury in one of his heels shortly before the race. He was retired soon after, but his public life and fame by no means decreased with the end of his career. Red Rum traveled all over the country for various engagements. He often led pre-race parades at Aintree Racecourse and was a popular guest at charity benefits and public events.