Marauder back in National picture
It was his first run since his moment of National glory and without being able to get in a blow, he stayed on in the closing stages and was 10-and-a-half lengths adrift of the winner at the line.
His owner Norman Mason has handed in his permit and the 13-year-old is now trained by Richard Guest, who rode him at Aintree and was on board again yesterday.
Guest, who went on to complete a 69-1 double with College City (9-1) and Sabi Sand (6-1), both also owned by Mason but ridden by Larry McGrath, said: “Red Marauder ran well for me. He was hanging a bit but he always does really and the ground wasn’t soft enough for him. It was very sticky but I have to be pleased with him.
“If we get soft ground somewhere I‘ll give him a race before the National, and of course it would need to be soft for him to go to Aintree.”
The stewards inquired into the running and riding of Red Marauder, “who had appeared to be tenderly ridden throughout”, and noted the explanation of Guest, who told them the gelding took a blow and started to hang left approaching the second hurdle in the back straight which prevented him from pulling round Wildfield Rufo, thus keeping him further off the pace then he would have liked.
He added that after turning into the straight and jumping the third last hurdle he found room on the inside but Red Marauder started to gurgle until the last hurdle, from which he was able to ask him for more effort.
