Barry Smith, an inveterate gambler and a Liverpool cab driver picked up a well-to-do oriental businessman from Liverpool John Lennon Airport.
On the trip to Aintree racecourse he told Barry that he had flown over from Hong Kong to back one of the horses he owned in the big race that day.
The horse's trainer had told him that this was "the really big one" and he was positive the horse would win the Grand National Steeplechase at a hefty price.
Barry, being an obsessive gambler, couldn't wait for the businessman to tell him the name of his runner.
After he had paid the fare, Barry was slipped a note with the horse’s name.