Racing backs National

Racing has rallied around to launch a staunch defence of the Grand National, after stinging criticism of Saturday`s race emerged from some quarters.

Meanwhile the winner, Red Marauder, was basking in the attention of the world`s media at his Durham stable.

The spectacle of just four mud-splattered finishers trailing home was splashed all over the front and back pages of the majority of Sunday`s newspapers.

Words such as 'farce', 'lottery' and 'shambles' were used, as the decision to defy the rain and race at Aintree was questioned.

But trainers of those that competed and leading racing officials were in agreement today that the race should have gone ahead and that unforeseeable circumstances were to blame for the low number of finishers and the unsavoury incidents that put so many horses out of the race.

And Tristram Ricketts, the secretary-general of the British Horseracing Board threw the support of racing`s governing body fully behind Aintree.

'The decision as to whether to race at Aintree was the responsibility of the very experienced local stewards who clearly considered that it was safe for the whole programme to proceed - their judgement should not be questioned lightly,' he said.

'Safety is always the primary consideration and those responsible would have had no hesitation in abandoning the race or card if they felt that safety would be unnecessarily compromised.'

Peter Scudamore, the former champion jump jockey and now assistant trainer to Nigel Twiston-Davies, was in no doubt that racing should have gone ahead.

'Of course they should have raced,' he said.

'Why shouldn`t they have raced? In different conditions horses would still have fallen.

'It was the loose horses which caused the mayhem.'

Scudamore also had news of Beau, who looked the likeliest winner for some time only to be robbed of his chance when Carl Llewellyn`s reins became tangled around the horse`s head, leaving him with no chance of stayingaboard when Beau hit the 20th fence.

'He has come out of the race fine,' Scudamore said.

'He could run in the Whitbread or the new Gold Cup race - it will be one of the two.'

Last year`s winner Papillon was also reported 'fresh as paint', 24 hours after being remounted to finish a weary last of four.

Indeed, trainer Ted Walsh reckons the gelding took less out of himself than when winning the Aintree showpiece 12 months previously.

With the foot and mouth restrictions preventing his return to Ireland Papillon - remounted by Ruby Walsh after being hampered at the 19th fence on Saturday - will remain at Liverpool.

'There is no plan for him at the moment - just to come back next year,' his trainer said.

'He will stay at Liverpool, there is no problem with that.

'He is absolutely perfect today and as fresh as paint - it took less out of him than last year as for the last mile and a half he was going at his own pace.'

All 10 of Martin Pipe`s charges returned safely home, the champion trainer confirmed.

'We had a quarter of the runners and filled a quarter of the places,' he joked.

'Everybody got home safe and sound and it was a very exciting race, I`ve no doubts that it was right to go ahead.'

Pipe was particularly pleased with the performance of Blowing Wind, who along with Papillon, remounted after being brought to a standstill at the 19th fence, eventually finishing third.

'It was very lucky that they could jump back on and they just popped over the last few fences,' Pipe said.

'He was still full of running at the end and he really enjoyed himself.'

Meanwhile, Red Marauder was in rather better health than his jockey and trainer in the aftermath of their glorious triumph.

The 11-year-old chestnut happily posed for photographs when the media came to his stables in County Durham.

But jockey Richard Guest and trainer Norman Mason were feeling the worse for wear after celebrating the North East`s first National win since Red Alligator in 1968.

Guest, also Mason`s assistant trainer, ended more than three months of abstinence on Saturday night.

'I vowed on January 1 that I wouldn`t drink until I won the Grand National or the Gold Cup,' he said.

'I`ve stuck by that and I didn`t start until 11.30 last night. The National win began to sink in at 2 o`clock this morning and I didn`t get any sleep at all.'

Mason added: 'I`m feeling tired now. I went to bed at 2.30 but couldn`t sleep at all I was just so excited.'

Before the race started, Guest had questioned whether it was right to race in the conditions.

But once it had got under way, he provided a textbook illustration of how to conserve a horse`s energy in testing going, particularly on a horse he described as 'the worst jumper to ever win a Grand National'.

Jockey Club spokesman John Maxse said: 'We were racing in extreme conditions, fully raceable but extremely testing and there was an emphasis placed on the need tobe careful.

'I think that all the jockeys acted with common sense as well as bravery.'

Ricketts added: 'Of course all those who were present and all those watching on TV in Britain and around the world would have preferred more horses to have successfully completed the course, but loose horses, who are difficult to control clearly played a major role in the reduced number of finishers.

'The review by the Jockey Club and Aintree executive which automatically follows provided the opportunity to see if any improvements are necessary.

'But in the meantime, the race serves to underline the courage, flair, determination and stamina of the horses and riders who give National Hunt racing its unique character.'