Rose's long day's journey pays off with victory in Norfolk marathon test

Mark Grant's first ride of the new jumps season was a marathon saga even before the race as his intended mount in the featured Snellings Norfolk National did not even turn up at the track until half an hour before post time.

Thankfully, Emerald Rose is a good traveller – as she also proved in the race. She was at the business end from the off in the £31,800 contest over three miles and five furlongs and stayed there to score by 13 lengths at odds of 14-1.

The third running of the 22-fence marathon attracted a strong field of 13 and Emerald Rose improved greatly on her sixth in 2016. The winner was en route to the track from Julian Smith's yard near Cheltenham when her horsebox had a blowout on the M1 and she was close to missing the race altogether.