Thrills and spills as Marauder triumphs

After one of the most lunatic and compulsive races in history, what in the world can the Martell Grand National throw up in 2005?

It's a bit far away to be sure, but the world's most famous steeplechase has developed a habit of throwing up its specials every four years. There was that knicker-elastic incident in 1993, the phone a friend in '97 and now there has been just about the most eye-boggling, head-scratching race anyone could ever dare imagine.

Inevitably there will be those who say the thing shouldn't have been run at all. The HQ's for those viewpoints vary from Camp Purist to Fort Hugger, but although Richard Guest and Red Marauder have now entered the history books, the Aintree Grand National itself is possibly the biggest winner of all.

The void race and the bomb evacuation kept the National at the forefront of the public's view of horseracing, but they were hardly for the most positive of reasons. But on Saturday the National kicked against time and took us back to the reason why it is the world's most famous race.

This really was a stick-a-pin-in and hope-for-the-best Grand National. The sort of National that is the legend the once a year punters have been weaned on. The race where any of the runners can win if enough happens to the others. However, the trend had begun to grow of horses being backed to the hilt on the day and then winning as if the National had been reduced to just another follow-the-money tease. Try telling that to punters next year.

This was the most modern National but of an old black and white type. It's just that the oldtimers would have dismissed the plot as science fiction. For one thing, no matter how much carnage there had been in the past, at least there was never a hint of nothing finishing the race. Not even with the 100 to 1 Foinavon in 1967. But as Red Marauder and Smarty approached Bechers second time around on

Saturday, with the remnants of the seven that had survived the first circuit stretched behind them, who would have confidently laid odds of there being no finisher to the 2001 Grand National?

One reporter was heard to ask the question and was told to shut up by a normally obsequious bookmaker's representative. There was too much going on. To watch Red Marauder and Guest struggle over the last two fences and slog their way to the line was to watch one of the most compelling of Aintree legends unfolding before your eyes. Rarely can there have been more unlikely Grand National heroes.

Guest's story of how he threw his jockey's licence into the stewards' room at Perth three years and told them how to fold it, has been flashed around the world to an estimated 650-million TV audience but the rider's verdict on his gallant mount is equally compelling.

"He is probably the worst jumper ever to win the National but he is a survivor. He must have made 10 mistakes out there, and it wasn't pretty, but you couldn't knock him down today," said the 35-year-old.

Red Marauder's owner-trainer Norman Mason was keen to hand every drop of credit over to Guest, who is also his assistant trainer, the rider passed it on to the horse and if Red Marauder could talk he would probably pass the congratulatory baton to luck.

Marauder was in the middle of the greatest pile-up since Foinavon's when the blinkered and loose Paddy's Return exited stage left at the Canal Turn and brought most of the field to a standstill. Eight horses exited, including the fancied Mely Moss. On such heavy ground, such a casualty rate so early on didn't bode well.

Red Marauder somehow survived the pile-up and continued to survive as the Chair claimed one of the co-favourites, Edmond. Then the 19th saw both Papillon and Blowing Wind come to a halt. Carl Llewellyn gave way to gravity and broken reins on Beau at the 20th.

Guest and Red Marauder survived best but the same credit if not the prize is due to Timmy Murphy, who somehow kept Smarty going when Mark Pitman's horse was clearly out on his feet. Blowing Wind and Papillon were remounted to be third and fourth.

The cup of the Aintree authorities overflowed with the report that all horses and riders returned safely despite the appalling conditions, and although Guest admitted he thought the decision to go ahead with the race was "borderline", there were other riders such as Llewellyn who said conditions were perfectly raceable.

That seemed to be borne out yesterday when Papillon's trainer, Ted Walsh, reported the horse "as fresh as paint" after his effort. He added: "There's no plan for him at the moment except to come back here next year."

The good news for Aintree is that he won't be alone. The Grand National 2001 may have been freakish as hell, but it's also a contender for the most compelling sports story of the year. Quite what the old race will do to top it next year is hard to imagine, but if it can't quite equal the weekend drama, just look forward to 2005.