Following Aldaniti's wonderful success in The 1981 Grand National Bob Champion was unsurprisingly elated, but not surprised.  He had predicted long ago that Aldaniti would triumph in the race.  Aldaniti had always shown a great deal of ability as a young horse particularly once sent chasing but was always plagued by injury.  The gelding finished third in the 1977 Hennessey Gold Cup at Newbury whilst a season later he was also third in The 1979 Cheltenham Gold Cup before running second in The Scottish National at Ayr.

Bob’s terrific fight back was an inspiration to all and as the tears of joy dried all that remained was for Lord Grade to commission the film Champions based on an already written best selling novel.  It premiered with a delighted Bob Champion all around the world just a couple of years later raising awareness and funds for the illness.  Champion himself set up his own Cancer Trust and, along with helping to save Aintree itself from an uncertain future, raised millions of pounds for Charity with Aldaniti fittingly by his side. 

In 1982 Aldaniti and Bob Champion returned to Aintree to defend their crown, albeit with more weight than 12 months earlier.  Sadly there was no repeat with the horse falling at the very first fence much to a despair of the Aintree crowd.  Retirement soon followed for both horse and jockey with Aldaniti finally passing away aged 27 during march 1997.