2001 Grand National - Leading Contenders

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 unsurpisingly 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.