‘A day I’ll never forget’ – Red Marauder’s chaotic National win 25 years on

The 2001 Grand National was a race like no other, one unlikely to be seen again. But for Richard Guest it was the race of a lifetime, as he steered Red Marauder over four and a half mud-splattered miles into Aintree folklore.

Run in desperate conditions on Merseyside, Guest had the ideal partner for what would be the slowest-run National in 118 years, as one by one Red Marauder’s rivals wilted in the gushing rains and treacherous underfoot conditions.

As the closing stages approached it was just Smarty and two final fences that stood between the 11-year-old and Aintree glory and before long, Red Marauder was galloping in slow motion to a distance victory which is still remembered clearly by many 25 years later.

“I was surprised so many had gone and I had a quick look round after I jumped The Chair and I saw all the loose horses and wondered where they all were,” said Guest explaining how he rode his way on to the Grand National roll of honour.

“When he jumped the water he was absolutely cantering and he’d made a couple of mistakes on the first circuit so I’d woken him up at that point, and he suddenly started taking notice of what he was doing.

“He flew The Chair which was the biggest fence by miles and went over it like a hurdle. I was in about seventh or eight going out for the second circuit, but I knew my horse hadn’t really done much yet and still had plenty left.

“I could see Papillon and Blowing Wind who I regarded as the big dangers were still there and Beau, but I knew I was going the best of the lot and I was thinking to myself if I keep on my feet here, I’ve got a cracking chance.

“Then Beau unseated, Blowing Wind and Papillon were taken out and the rest is history as they say.”

The history Guest talks about would be ensured by the helping hand of fate coming to Red Marauder’s assistance not once but twice during one of the most chaotic Nationals in living memory.

With loose horses strewn out across Merseyside in the time before bypass chutes and collection pens, danger lurked at every fence by the time a riderless Paddy’s Return had reeked havoc at the Canal Turn.

Guest though had an ally blissfully unaware of the drama unfolding around – even if it would provide one of his most favourite anecdotes of the day he won the National courtesy of one of racing’s most famous father and son combinations.

“They didn’t have the course set up to catch loose horses then and we had two good bits of fortune during the race,” he added.

“Paddy’s Return took a load out which wouldn’t happen at Canal Turn these days and then the real stroke of luck was when the two horses I had my eye on, Papillon and Blowing Wind, were also caught up in some of the chaos.

“A horse got loose then refused and ran along the bottom of the fence and basically knocked Papillon and Blowing Wind out of the way and that took them out of the equation.”

He went on: “Interestingly, Ruby Walsh had said to me on the Thursday when I still didn’t know who I would ride in the race and was interviewed on the BBC ‘ah you’re always sitting on the fence’.

“Ted Walsh had then said to me ‘what’s my son saying, he’s a head the ball, take no notice of him’.

“It turned out when Papillon had been taken out Ruby was left in the birch and Ted Walsh came flying up to greet me as I was coming in after winning in the National and said to me ‘well done Richard, you can tell Ruby, who’s sitting on the fence now’ – he had been left sitting on an actual fence!”

For Guest it was the defining moment of a career that was entering the twinkling end of the twilight stages, a moment of vindication for the often thankless tasks of his occupation.

“To win the National was incredible,” he said. “I was second in the Grand National on Romany King behind Party Politics in 1992 and I had been successful – probably in the top 20 most of my career – but I was training and riding, so it was probably going to be my last chance of cracking the National.

“To win, it was relief but also felt like I was being repaid for all the early mornings and disappointments you can get through a career – being overlooked for people who probably weren’t as good as you because of racing politics. It was like it all coming back to repay you in one great moment.

“Every bit of sacrifice I had made since starting in racing when I was 10-year-old was made worth it, it was momentous. It’s a day I’ll never forget.”

It was also a red-letter day for Red Marauder’s owner-trainer Norman Mason, who made sure to make the moment count once the rain started to fall and optimism of big-race glory increased.

Guest said: “It was the first year some bookmakers offered each-way first six and I said to Norman if I get round there is no chance of me being outside the first six because of the ground. He was 66s in some places and I know Norman was running round getting all the big prices to finish in the six.

“Definitely once the rain came you started to think he might have a chance, but I’d rode him the year before and he fell on quick ground. He didn’t fall very often, but he could make some bad mistakes.

“We somehow managed to avoid the loose horses and get over the fences and I had said to Norman with a bit of luck for us and bad luck for some of the others, we could actually get the crown jewels.

“Norman took that as me saying he will probably win and instead of backing him each-way I found out he started to backing him to win. He ended up having a particularly good day – he definitely enjoyed it!”