Auroras Encore flops in double National bid

AYR, United Kingdom (AFP) –

Ryan Mania on Auroras Encore celebrates after winning the Grand National horse race at Aintree Racecourse in Liverpool, on April 6, 2013. Auroras Encore’s bid to become the first Grand National winner since Red Rum in 1974 to win the Scottish National in the same year has failed as he is pulled up on the final circuit.

Auroras Encore’s bid to become the first Grand National winner since Red Rum in 1974 to win the Scottish National in the same year failed on Saturday as he was pulled up on the final circuit.

A record crowd had been attracted to the race day because of trainer Sue Smith’s decision to run Auroras Encore just two weeks after he triumphed at 66/1 at Aintree.

However, he was never in the hunt after being badly impeded at the second fence and, although jockey Ryan Mania got himself into some sort of contention going out on the final circuit, he ran out of energy and was tailed off when he was pulled up.

The eventual winner of the £100,000 ($152,310) first prize was 12/1 chance Godsmejudge ridden by Wayne Hutchinson for trainer Alan King.