Grand slice of luck for the officials

Luck played even more of a part than most years when Red Marauder laboured to victory in the Martell Grand National. It also smiled on Aintree and Jockey Club officials, who gambled on allowing the race to take place in atrocious weather conditions.

But the fact there weren't any fatalities or serious injuries was no triumph of judgement.

They have our National Hunt jockeys - who, to most mortals, tread the line between courage and insanity - to thank for the damage limitation. Aside from the seemingly inevitable charge to the first fence, they hunted their mounts round and the slow pace reduced the likelihood of injury. But it remained a grim battle of attrition.

Who wants to watch the gladiatorial survival of the luckiest? The answer appears to be a public who couldn't give two hoots about racing for the rest of the year. Bookmakers tell us this was the biggest betting weekend of all time.

The Grand National asks the ultimate question of stamina and jumping ability from its contenders but, since the modification of its fences, take-offs and landings, those demands should no longer be unreasonable to the modern stomach. The Grand National is the only race this sport can muster that still truly captures the nation's attention.

Perhaps that's because once-a-year punters feel chance rather than specialist knowledge can find the winner. Certainly on days such as last Saturday, it bears virtually no resemblance to what takes place on the other 364 days of the racing calendar. We can't blame people for not knowing that if it's the only example they see.

That's why there's an extra responsibility on the event's organisers. There was also the additional pressure of needing to provide a rallying call for a jumps season devastated by the twin ravages of wet weather and foot-and-mouth disease. It would have been a very brave call to abandon racing's biggest pay-day but justification for running is only retrospective.

Just as Aintree was unlucky to play host to five unconnected equine fatalities last year, it was lucky not to face the same music this year. Maybe luck evens out, but let's not rely on it again.