2001 Grand National

English steeplechase horse race May 2014 May 2014 2001 Grand National Grand National Aintree 7 April 2001 England Red Marauder England Richard Guest England Norman Mason England Norman Mason Heavy 2000 2002 33/1 Red Marauder (racehorse).png right 275px Replay of the 2001 Grand National in full Racing TV, YouTube The 2001 Grand National (officially known as the Martell Grand National for sponsorship reasons) was the 154th official running of the Grand National horse race that took place at Aintree Racecourse near Liverpool, England, on 7 April 2001. It went ahead as planned, despite the cancellation of the 2001 Cheltenham Festival, caused by the foot-and-mouth disease crisis. The steeplechase was won by a distance by 33/1 shot Red Marauder, ridden by jockey Richard Guest, in a time of over 11 minutes. The winner was also trained by his jockey and owned by Norman Mason, in whose name the training licence was held, with Guest as his assistant, though Guest did all the trainingRed Marauder victory race report BBC Sport at his base in Crook, County DurhamRed Marauder profile BBC Sport and ran in the trainer's colours of red with a blue hoop, three blue hoops on the sleeves and a red and blue hooped cap. The field was limited to a maximum of 40 competitors, of which only two completed the course without mishap (two others were re-mounted to complete) and the race was run in heavy going. It was notable for an unusually high number of falls, including ten at the first Canal Turn, caused by a riderless horse running across the fence, and it came in for criticism in some quarters, believing that the conditions were too wet and muddy. However, supporters of the race were quick to point out that the slow pace and bottomless ground benefitted the race as there were no injuries sustained to any horse or rider. Background The 2001 outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease had led to the Cheltenham Festival and many other fixtures being abandoned before the Grand National meeting. However, the National got the go-ahead from racing officials. On the day, the race went ahead despite adverse weather, with high winds and an extremely heavy going. Jockey Paul Flynn was the subject of a frantic search when Mick Fitzgerald was forced to stand down as rider of Esprit De Cotte less than two hours before the race. When Flynn did not respond to calls and texts to his mobile phone, two Tannoy announcements were sent out around the course for him to report to the weighing room. When he still did not respond an urgent message was sent out over the BBC via its live coverage of the build-up of the race. Flynn, who had never before ridden in a National, could not be located in time and the ride instead went to Tom Doyle. Flynn never got another chance to ride in the race.Red Letter day For Chinese BBC Sport, 8 April 2001 Leading contenders Edmond was the winner of the 1999 Welsh National and was made 10/1 joint-favourite on the horse's preference for soft ground. He ran prominently at the head of the field for most of the first circuit and was still leading when he fell into the ditch at The Chair, catapulting rider Richard Johnson over the fence. Moral Support was also supported to joint-favouritism on the back of a preference for soft ground and a good showing in the Welsh National four months prior. Partnered by Noel Fehily, he was towards the rear of the field when caught in a pile-up at the Canal Turn on the first circuit and brought to a standstill. Inis Cara was the third joint-favourite but was backed purely on the basis of being a mudlark. His form lacked that of the other two joint-favourites however as he had failed to make a serious impression in any of his six previous races. His jockey Robert Widger was hoping to emulate his great-uncle who won the race over a century before, but the partnership was severed by a heavy fall at the fourth fence. Beau was the 12/1 mount of two-time winning jockey Carl Llewellyn and had won the Whitbread Gold Cup, a respected Aintree trial, by a distance in 1999. His form in 2000 had been less impressive and his heavy weight handicap was also considered a tough ask, but the horse was coping well with it during the race and was leading the only four runners left in the race when an awkward jump at the 19th fence put his reins over his head. Jockey Llewellyn fought to try to save the situation but, without steering, was unseated at the next fence. The rider desperately chased his mount to the next fence in a bid to remount and possibly claim third place, but was unable to do so. Mely Moss was sent off at 14/1, having finished second in the race the previous year, despite it being his only run of the season. He was again kept off the racecourse until Aintree and partnered by Norman Williamson, but they were unable to avoid the melee at the Canal Turn. Papillon beat Mely Moss to win the previous year's National and this, coupled with his trainer risking a foot-and-mouth quarantine to bring him to Aintree, saw him well supported at 14/1. His partner in victory, Ruby Walsh again took the ride and they avoided the carnage on the first circuit to be among the only seven still continuing when a loose horse took them out at the 19th fence. Walsh remounted and hacked around the remainder of the course with the remounted Blowing Wind before being left behind at the final flight to be the last of four to complete. The eventual winner, Red Marauder, was freely available as an each-way chance at 33/1 after disappointingly falling at Becher's Brook on the first circuit the previous year. Another fall at Haydock before the National had punters feeling that the horse was not a safe enough jumper. Racecard +NoColoursHorseAgeHandicap (st-lb)SPJockeyTrainer1center|89x89pxBeau (IRE)811-1012/1Carl Llewelyn Nigel Twiston-Davies2center|89x89pxPapillon (IRE)1011-0514/1Ruby WalshTed Walsh3center|89x89pxEarthmover (IRE)1011-0222/1Joe TizzardPaul Nicholls4center|89x89pxMerry People (IRE)1311-0266/1Garrett CotterJohn Queally5center|89x89pxTresor De Mai (FR)711-0266/1Rodi GreeneMartin Pipe6center|89x89pxGeneral Wolfe1211-0050/1Brian CrowleyVenetia Williams7center|89x89pxThe Last Fling (IRE)1110-1220/1Seamus DurackSue Smith8center|89x89pxHanakham (IRE)1210-11100/1Barry GeraghtyDonald McCain9center|89x89pxAddington Boy (IRE)1310-1133/1John McNamaraFerdy Murphy10center|89x89pxRed Marauder1110-1133/1Richard GuestNorman Mason11center|89x89pxDjeddah (FR)1010-1133/1Thierry DoumenFrancois Doumen12center|89x89pxStrong Tel (IRE)1110-1133/1David CaseyMartin Pipe13center|89x89pxUnsinkable Boxer (IRE)1210-1066/1Dean GallagherRobert Alner14center|89x89pxBlowing Wind (FR)810-0916/1Tony McCoyMartin Pipe15center|89x89pxMoral Support (IRE)910-0910/1 JFNoel FehilyCharlie Mann16center|89x89pxNorthern Starlight 1010-0750/1Tom ScudamoreMartin Pipe17center|89x89pxNoble Lord 810-0525/1Jimmy McCarthyRichard Phillips18center|89x89pxAmberleigh House (IRE)910-05150/1Warren MarstonGinger McCain19center|89x89pxExit Swinger (FR)610-0550/1Chris MaudeMartin Pipe20center|89x89pxMely Moss (FR)1010-0514/1Norman WilliamsonCharles Egerton21center|89x89pxDark Stranger (IRE)1010-0325/1Kieron KellyMartin Pipe22center|89x89pxListen Timmy (NZ)1110-03100/1Tony DobbinAlan King23center|89x89pxInis Cara (IRE)910-0310/1 JFRobert WidgerVenetia Williams24center|89x89pxEdmond (FR)910-0110/1 JFRichard JohnsonHenry Daly25center|89x89pxYou're Agoodun910-0128/1Robert WakleyMartin Pipe26center|89x89pxNo Retreat (NZ)710-02100/1Jason MaguireSteve Brookshaw27center|89x89pxSmarty (IRE)810-0016/1Timmy MurphyMark Pitman28center|89x89pxHollybank Buck (IRE)1110-0020/1Francis FloodTony Martin29center|89x89pxMoondigua (IRE)910-00100/1Shay BarryMartin Pipe30center|89x89pxVillage King (IRE)810-0025/1Jim CullotyPhilip Hobbs31center|89x89pxSpanish Main (IRE)710-0025/1Jamie GoldsteinNigel Twiston-Davies32center|89x89pxEsprit De Cotte (FR)910-0033/1Tom DoyleNicky Henderson33center|89x89pxLance Armstrong (IRE)1110-0250/1Andrew ThorntonRobert Alner34center|89x89pxKaki Crazy (FR)610-0066/1Rodney FarrantMartin Pipe35center|89x89pxFeels Like Gold (IRE)1310-0050/1Brian HardingNicky Richards36center|89x89pxPaddy's Return (IRE)910-0016/1Adrian MaguireFerdy Murphy37center|89x89pxBrave Highlander (IRE)1310-0033/1Philip HideJosh Gifford38center|89x89pxArt Prince (IRE)1110-00150/1Jim CrowleyMartin Pipe 39center|89x89pxMister One 1010-0050/1Mark BradburneColin Tizzard40center|89x89pxSupreme Charm (IRE)910-0033/1Robert ThorntonKim Bailey Great Britain unless stated. The race 75 Placed horses vertical center Red Marauder (racehorse).png 1: Red Marauder Smarty.png 2: Smarty Blowing Wind.png 3: Blowing Wind Papillon (racehorse) 2001.png 4: Papillon The heavy conditions contributed greatly to the horses that fell during the race; eight had already fallen by the third fence. One of the horses that fell in the opening stages, Paddy's Return, carried on as a loose horse and caused pandemonium at the Canal Turn, where he brought down several nearby runners. Ten horses were lost at the Turn overall, including Moral Support, one of the favourites, and future winner Amberleigh House.http://www.grand-national-world.co.uk/gnw/the_race/1988_to_date/2001gnat/2001fullresult.html Grand National 2001 Result 9 April 2009 https://web.archive.org/web/20090511045844/http://www.grand-national-world.co.uk/gnw/the_race/1988_to_date/2001gnat/2001fullresult.html 11 May 2009 live dmy No Retreat, who was one of the rank outsiders, was also carried out at the Turn but managed to retake the fence and continued over a fence behind the rest of the remaining runners. Only 15 horses remained after the Turn, and then 13 going onto the racecourse proper for the first time. At the 13th, Noble Lord fell, leaving only 12 to tackle The chair, the large standside jump. This year it claimed three horses including joint-favourite Edmond,https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/in_depth/2001/grand_national/1260364.stm Grand National - starting prices BBC News 4 April 2001 7 April 2009 each-way shot Supreme Charm and largely unfancied Moondigua. Listen Timmy made a major mistake, recovered, but was pulled up immediately after the fence. No Retreat, who was completely tailed off at the time was eventually pulled up by jockey Jason Maguire before the start of the second circuit. As the field left for the second circuit, only seven horses remained: Red Marauder, Papillon, Beau, Blowing Wind, Brave Highlander, Unsinkable Boxer, and Smarty, with Lance Armstrong, who remounted, around half a mile behind. Approaching the 19th, a couple of loose horses veered across the ditch, similar to what had happened earlier at the Canal Turn, and hampered Papillon, Blowing Wind and Brave Highlander, resulting in their refusals. Unsinkable Boxer also refused at the big ditch independently. This left three. The leader of the trio and top weight, Beau, unseated jockey Llewellyn at the 20th fence after his reins broke. Two fences back, Tony McCoy remounted Blowing Wind and Ruby Walsh remounted Papillon. McCoy later said, "I looked up at the big screen and saw there were only two horses still racing. I shouted to Ruby [Walsh], 'Come on, let's get back up'". Blowing Wind and Papillon both continued the course to take third and fourth place respectively. Going into the last few fences Smarty had a lead over Red Marauder. However, by the second-last, Guest on Red Marauder had drawn level with Smarty, and ultimately won by a distance. A mud-covered Guest celebrated crossing the finish line in the slowest Grand National winning time for over 100 years. It was the first time since Ben Nevis won in 1980 that just four horses finished the race,https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/in_depth/2001/grand_national/1265906.stm Aintree's big-race drama BBC News 7 April 2001 7 April 2009 and the first time since 1967 that there were only two unhampered finishers when the largely unnoticed Packed Home successfully negotiated the infamous 23rd fence pile up behind Foinavon to complete unhindered. Finishing order PositionNumberNameJockeyAgeWeight (st, lb)Starting priceDistance1st10Red MarauderRichard Guest1110-1133/1A distance2nd27SmartyTimmy Murphy810-016/1A distance3rd14Blowing WindTony McCoy810-916/1A distance4th2PapillonRuby Walsh1011-414/1Last to complete Non-finishers FenceNumberNameJockeyAgeWeight (st-lb.)Starting priceFate20th1BeauCarl Llewellyn811-1012/1Unseated rider19th (open ditch)13Unsinkable BoxerDean Gallagher1210-1066/1Refused19th (open ditch)37Brave HighlanderPhilip Hide1310-033/1Refused16th (water jump)26No RetreatJason Maguire810-1100/1Pulled up16th (water jump)22Listen TimmyTony Dobbin1210-3100/1Pulled up15th (The chair)24EdmondRichard Johnson910-110/1 JFFell15th (The chair)40Supreme CharmRobert Thornton99-833/1Unseated Rider15th (The chair)29MoondiguaShay Barry99-12100/1Refused and Unseated Rider13th17Noble LordJimmy McCarthy810-525/1Fell11th32Esprit De CotteTom Doyle99-1133/1Refused and Unseated rider9th (Valentine's)39Mister OneLeslie Jefford109-850/1Unseated rider8th (Canal Turn)18Amberleigh HouseWarren Marston910-5150/1Brought down8th (Canal Turn)21Dark StrangerKieran Kelly1010-325/1Refused8th (Canal Turn)6General WolfeBrian Crowley1211-050/1Unseated Rider8th (Canal Turn)30Village KingJim Culloty89-1225/1Brought down8th (Canal Turn)20Mely MossNorman Williamson1010-514/1Brought down8th (Canal Turn)25You're AgoodunRupert Wakeley910-128/1Brought down8th (Canal Turn)35Feels Like GoldBrian Harding139-1050/1Refused8th (Canal Turn)15Moral SupportNoel Fehily910-910/1 JFRefused8th (Canal Turn)11DjeddahThierry Doumen1310-1133/1Unseated Rider8th (Canal Turn)33Lance ArmstrongAndrew Thornton119-1150/1Refused7th (Foinavon)4Merry PeopleGareth Cotter139-866/1Unseated Rider6th (Becher's Brook)19Exit SwingerChris Maude610-550/1Fell6th (Becher's Brook)16Northern StarlightTom Scudamore1010-750/1Unseated rider6th (Becher's Brook)12Strong TelDavid Casey1110-1133/1Fell5th7The Last FlingSeamus Durack1110-1220/1Unseated rider4th3EarthmoverJoe Tizzard1011-222/1Unseated rider4th23Inis CaraRobert Widger910-310/1 JFFell3rd28Hollybank BuckFran Flood119-1320/1Fell3rd34Kaki CrazyRodney Farrant69-1166/1Fell3rd36Paddy's ReturnAdrian Maguire99-916/1Unseated rider2nd9Addington BoyJohn P. McNamara1310-1133/1Unseated Rider2nd5Tresor De MaiRodi Greene711-266/1Fell2nd8HanakhamBarry Geraghty1210-11100/1Fell1st38Art PrinceJim Crowley119-8150/1Fell1st31Spanish MainJamie Goldstein79-1125/1Unseated Rider Jockeys Twice former winner Carl Llewellyn was the most experienced rider in the weighing room, weighing out for a Grand National for the 11th time, including the void race of 1993, and unusually was the only rider in the field with ten rides under his belt. In addition there was also a higher-than-average number of rookies in the weighing room, though the ability of all 12 riders making their debut could not be questioned or offered as having any effect on the carnage that followed in the race. Noel Fehily carried the best chance of a winning debut but was among those knocked out of the race at the Canal Turn pile-up. Indeed, none of the 12 debutants completed the first circuit, Jason Maguire going the farthest when pulling his mount up at the water jump. The remainder of the group included Tom Doyle, drafted in when Mick Fitzgerald was injured, John McNamara, Brian Crowley, Shay Barry, Fran Floodhttp://www.rte.ie/sport/2001/0404/aintree.html RTÉ News Aintree first for Flood 4 April 2001 and Leslie Jefford. The remainder of the group was made up of Tom Scudamore, whose father and grandfather had both previously taken part in the race, the latter winning in 1959, and a trio of riders whose only ride in the race this proved to be for different circumstances; Jim Crowley, who went on to become Champion Jockey on the flat in 2016,Lysaght Cornelius British Champions Day: Aidan O'Brien closes on record while Jim Crowley set for title https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/horse-racing/37644995 BBC Sport 15 October 2016 Jamie Goldstein who missed the ride on the eventual winner the following year when suffering a broken leg weeks before the race,https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/other_sports/horse_racing/grand_national_2002/1910016.stm BBC News Goldstein faces lengthy lay-off 4 April 2002 and Kieran Kelly who was killed racing in Ireland in 2003. Controversy There were numerous suggestions in the press that the race should not have been run due to the conditions. Racing Post journalist and lead presenter of Channel 4 Racing, Alastair Down, wrote: "You can wash the mud off the jockeys' silks, but not the stain off the race", under a front-page headline: Gutless, Witless and Utterly Reckless.http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-72945176.html https://web.archive.org/web/20110516233203/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-72945176.html usurped 16 May 2011 'You can wash the mud off the jockeys' silks, but not the stain off the race' Racing Post HighBeam Research subscription London, England 9 April 2001 John Maxse, spokesman of the Jockey Club, said: "It was fairly shocking, uncomfortable viewing".https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2001/apr/08/grandnational2005.grandnational 'Red conquers the Aintree survival course' Guardian Online 8 April 2001 7 April 2009 London Graham Rock However, many in racing leapt to Aintree's defence, as it was loose horses that had caused most problems. Despite more than 30 of the 40 horses either falling or being brought down, all of the horses and jockeys were fine afterwards and no major injuries were sustained. Media coverage The BBC retained the rights to broadcast the race live on terrestrial television in the United Kingdom as they had done every year since 1960. BBC One's Saturday afternoon sports show Grandstand covered the race as a Grand National special, which began at 12:45pm BST and was presented by Sue Barker and Clare Balding. This consisted of race build-up, with previews of the main contenders, interviews with connections of the runners, and celebrity spectators, as well as nostalgic segments from the history of the race, while Angus Loughran provided regular updates on the betting market. As they race up now towards the elbow now it's Red Marauder who's out in front. Battling on in second is Smarty. Looking well back down the track to try and find Papillon who's been remounted, but as they race towards the elbow, this is a famous victory for Red Marauder and Richard Guest, as he races now past the elbow. Up on the run-in now. The cheers of the crowd, they are applauding a very brave horse and a great rider. It's a great ride by Richard Guest to go on and win the 2001 Martell Grand National on Red Marauder. Red Marauder comes home, alone. Red Marauder the winner of the Grand National, has won it by a distance! Commentator Jim McGrath describes the climax of the race 35% 1 right In addition to the race itself the programme also broadcast live coverage of three other races on the Aintree card — the Cordon Bleu Handicap Hurdle, the Martell Maghull Novices Steeplechase and the Martell Aintree Hurdle, none of which were run over the Grand National course. The commentator for these races was Jim McGrath, who also called home the winner of the National where he was joined by a commentary team of John Hanmer and Tony O'Hehir (however O'Hehir played no part in the commentary of the race as rain caused a power failure at his commentary position at Becher's Brook). Hanmer, whose role was to commentate on the runners over the first four fences and the last three along the Canal side of the course took over and continued commentary of both circuits from fences one to 12 and 17 to 28. McGrath continued his normal commentary of the race as on the racecourse proper.Grand National television race coverage 2001 YouTube 48 cameras were used to film the action, including inside two jockeys' caps and some inside fences. The majority of these shots were used in a detailed post-race re-run with Richard Pitman, Peter Scudamore and Mick Fitzgerald. The BBC's coverage was also syndicated across the world for live coverage in China, the United States, Canada and large parts of Europe and Asia for an estimated global viewing audience of 650 million people during the eleven minutes of the race itself.May 2022 BBC Radio covered the race for the 59th time since its first broadcast in 1927 and was part of its Five Live Sports broadcast hosted by Mark Pougatch. The radio commentary team was headed by Peter Bromley who had announced that this would be his last commentary of the National, his first having been in 1960. He was joined by Lee McKenzie, Cornelius Lysaght and Dave Smith. The race was also streamed live on the Internet using BBC pictures to an undisclosed audience.BBC coverage information BBC SportBBC additional coverage information BBC Sport References 2 Grand National 2001 Grand National Grand Category:April 2001 sports events in the United Kingdom