Red Marauder ~ 2001 Grand National Winner
The photo above shows jockey Richard Guest jumping a fence during the 2001 Grand National on Red Marauder.
In the slowest time since 1883, Red Marauder's amazing win in the Aintree bog was a triumph of survival and endurance over the more conventional demands of speed and jumping agility and will be remembered as one of the bravest performances in the long history of this famous steeplechase that again lived up to its reputation for providing the unexpected.
2001 was the year only four horses finished, due to the rainy conditions at Aintree and number of horses being interfered with by two loose horses. And over the course of the whole race only two horses finished without losing their jockeys. Both Tony McCoy and Ruby Walsh who came in thrid and fourth had to re-mount during the race to finish it!
Red Marauder was a 33–1 shot at the start with Edmond, Moral Support and Inis Cara going off as 10–1 co–favorites.
Jockey ~ Richard Guest
In 2001 Richard Guest was the oldest jockey to enter the Grand National but shortly afterwards he was also the happiest with an incredible win on Red Marauder under his belt. The win was made all the more sweet as Guest is effectively also the trainer of the 10-year-old, owned by Norman Mason.
Just three years earlier, Guest announced his retirement from racing after being found guilty of the non-triers' rule - his third offence of the season. However, he soon changed his mind and National glory was the ultimate reward.
Guest has a good record over the National fences, finishing second on Romany King (1992) and fifth aboard Into the Red (1995). He also won the Tote Becher Chase at Aintree with Into the Red.
Trainer / Owner ~ Norman Mason
The son of a master baker from Sunderland, Norman Mason made his millions from a network of bingo halls and amusement arcades in his native North East.
Mason had horses with Gordon Richards and George Moore, but eventually decided the trainer he had most faith in was himself. He bought Brancepeth Manor over 17 years ago and started naming horses with the red prefix when he learned the Chinese considered the colour to confer good luck.
Norman's greatest fortune, though, was when he recruited the National Hunt jockey Richard Guest to manage his horses. Guest, in fact, trains the entire string of 30.
