4.10pm That’s all from us. We’ve seen a real piece of sporting history made here, with Red Rum becoming the first horse to win the Grand National three times. And let’s not forget that only one other horse this century has won the race more than once, that being the mighty Reynoldstown back in the 30s. Think of all the great horses that have tried to win the National, legends like Golden Miller. Maybe they could manage it once but they came back the next year and found they’d got too old, or couldn’t carry the extra weight they’d been given, or didn’t fancy it so much the next time. Red Rum has trumped the lot of them and in two of his wins, he’s carried top weight. Surely his record will be unmatched for a very long time. Farewell from Aintree! Where your money went 1st fence Duffle Coat fell Pengrail fell Spittin Image fell Willy What fell Huperade unseated rider War Bonnet brought down High Ken brought down 3rd fence Burrator fell Inycarra fell Royal Thrust fell Davy Lad unseated rider 4th fence Harban fell Fort Vulgan brought down 6th fence (Becher’s Brook) Sebastian V fell Castleruddery fell Winter Rain fell 12th fence Prince Rock unseated rider 15th fence (The Chair) Sage Merlin fell 17th fence Boom Docker refused Lord Of The Hills pulled up 18th fence Foresail refused 20th fence Roman Bar fell 21st fence Gay Vulgan pulled up 22nd fence (Becher’s Brook) Andy Pandy fell Brown Admiral fell Nereo fell Sandwilan refused The Songwriter pulled up 24th fence (Canal Turn) Sir Garnet unseated rider 25th fence Zeta’s Son fell 27th fence Barony Fort refused Grand National finishing order in full 4pm 1st Red Rum 2nd Churchtown Boy 3rd Eyecatcher 4th The Pilgarlic 5th Forest King 6th What A Buck 7th Happy Ranger 8th Carroll Street 9th Collingwood 10th Hidden Value 11th Saucy Belle The last two were both remounted at some stage. Saucy Belle fell at second Becher’s, as it turns out. 3.55pm Ginger McCain is doing his best to mind his language. “I think it’s bloody marvellous,” he tells the BBC. “Super, brilliant on both the horse’s part and Tommy’s part. Never in doubt, the way I saw it ...” 3.50pm “I’m glad I’ve been part of this horse because he’s simply tremendous,” Tommy Stack tells Frank Bough as the crowd around the winner’s enclosure sings ‘For he’s a jolly good fellow’. “I had a good run all the way. The only anxious moment I had was at Becher’s second time, when the horse in front of me [Andy Pandy] fell. I went to the side of him and then there was a loose horse coming with me to the Canal Turn. And I had to race him to get to the Canal in case he shut across me to the right. So I just raced him and jumped the Canal marginally in front.” 3.45pm A blue sash has been hung around Red Rum’s neck. He looks very pleased with himself, as well he may. What an amazing animal, to come alive at Aintree each April like this. He’s had a few chances against some of these same horses around ordinary tracks this winter and hasn’t shown anything like the same ability, or perhaps enthusiasm would be the key word. William Hill have chalked him up at 16-1 for next year’s National. There hasn’t been a 13-year-old winner of the Grand National for more than half a century, since Sergeant Murphy in 1923, so that doesn’t really appeal. On the other hand, who could bet against Red Rum in a National? 3.40pm Red Rum and Tommy Stack are being led through jubilant crowds around the back of the stands towards the winner’s enclosure, the jockey playing with Rummy’s ears and possibly wiping away a tear as they go. Peter O’Sullevan tells us Saucy Belle has just crossed the line as the last horse to finish and that Charlotte Brew is hacking back towards the stands on Barony Fort, having evidently pulled up at some point. Apparently, she’s out by the Melling Road somewhere, which just shows how strung out a Grand National field can get! Grand National result 1st Red Rum 9-1 2nd Churchtown Boy 20-1 3rd Eyecatcher 18-1 4th The Pilgarlic 40-1 3.37pm There was a lot of class in the line-up for this National, but it became an attritional race and 40 of the 42 had lost their winning chance with a mile to go. Talented animals like Davy Lad and Andy Pandy have simply failed to cope with the intimidating jumping test of Aintree. Meanwhile, Red Rum has skipped round there for the fifth year in a row as if nothing could be easier. In total, he’s jumped 150 of those big, green fences without making a mistake that I can remember. This year’s Gold Cup winner couldn’t get past the third. 3.36pm Churchtown Boy has got very tired on the run-in and was beaten a long way in the end. Eyecatcher has run on willingly to be third again, but she just wasn’t quick enough to hold a good position on the first circuit. RED RUM WINS! The first horse to win three Grand Nationals! Peter O’Sullevan really rose to the occasion there. “He’s coming up to the line to win it like a fresh horse in great style. It’s hats off and a tremendous reception, you’ve never heard one like it at Liverpool! Red Rum wins the National!” We might hear those words a few more times in years to come. 3.34pm Red Rum with the race at his mercy! He really strode on with purpose and flew the last, while Churchtown Boy is being hard ridden. The Pilgarlic is tired and hung right at the last, carrying Eyecatcher with him. “They’re willing him home now!” says Peter O’Sullevan. Those two loose horses in front of Rummy look like the only danger. 3.33pm Churchtown Boy has moved up behind Red Rum in a manner I can only describe as menacing as they cross the Melling Road and head back towards the grandstands. Martin Blackshaw on Churchtown Boy has a look around over his shoulder to see where the rest are. He’s on the faster of these two horses, for sure, but will he see out the last half-mile? Now Tommy Stack has a look over his right shoulder at the turn for home to see who’s tracking him. It’s Churchtown Boy and a loose horse. The Pilgarlic isn’t too far away but can only find one pace just now. Eyecatcher, who was third last year, looks like she could run on but she’s a long way back in fourth. Churchtown Boy hits the second-last! He was travelling better than Rummy but he’s got too close to that fence and it’s cost him ground and momentum. 3.32pm The pursuer now is Churchtown Boy, who won the Topham over these same fences just two days ago. Can he possibly have enough left to win this race? Red Rum over the fourth-last, Churchtown Boy getting a bit closer but still two or three lengths to find. The Pilgarlic and Eyecatcher have run on to lead the chasing pack as What A Buck fades, along with the others who had been prominent. A head-on shot shows maybe 10 horses still going and I can’t see Charlotte Brew. Right out the back, Hidden Value has unseated Jimmy Bourke at the fourth-last but Jimmy has caught the horse and it looks like he’s going to remount. 3.31pm Red Rum goes clear! After a loose horse got in the way of What A Buck at the 23rd. Maybe Rummy will have more luck than the other leaders we’ve had to this point. Sir Garnet called as a faller at the Canal Turn. So the chasing pack continues to thin out, while Rummy bowls along in front. He’s jumped 120 of these big, green fences before today, and another 24 already. Six to go … 3.30pm Andy Pandy down at Becher’s!!! For the second time in this race, the leader can’t keep his feet on landing at Becher’s. Oh, but that’s hard to take for all concerned. Andy Pandy was going really well and 10 lengths clear. Nereo and Brown Admiral also fell at Becher’s; they were dropping out at the time. Sandwilan was out the back when he refused. What A Buck shares the lead with Red Rum. 3.29pm Boom Docker stops! He got to the first fence on the second circuit and decided he’d had enough. He was still well clear, a very disappointing end to the fun for anyone who took the 66-1. So Andy Pandy is our latest clear leader. Let’s see if he self-destructs like Sebastian and Boom Docker. He’s on his way to the big ditch, the 19th. Andy Pandy over the ditch ahead of What A Buck, Hidden Value, Red Rum, Roman Bar, Brown Admiral and Nereo. Gay Vulgan has never got into this and it’s just not happening for him. Here comes his first defeat of the season. Roman Bar down! He takes a crashing fall at the 20th when just behind the leaders. 3.28pm Sage Merlin falls at The Chair! Fortunately, he and Ian Watkinson have enough time to get out of the way before the rest arrive. The order at halfway: Boom Docker miles clear of Andy Pandy, Hidden Value, What A Buck, Brown Admiral, Roman Bar, Red Rum, Sir Garnet, Sandwilan, Forest King, Nereo, Happy Ranger, The Pilgarlic, Churchtown Boy, Zeta’s Son, Eyecatcher, Collingwood, Carroll Street, The Songwriter, Gay Vulgan, Foresail and Barony Fort with Charlotte Brew, who sounds as though she’s getting a mixed reception from the crowd as they clear The Water with Boom Docker already piling back out into the country. 3.27pm Pengrail gone! At the first fence, according to John Hanmer, who has now taken the commentary back as the field runs back towards the stands. So that wasn’t a lucky spare ride for Ron Atkins, as it turns out. There’s Red Rum! The noseband and the yellow cap are poking into view on the shoulder of Forest King, back in the chasing pack. It’s a bit menacing, actually. Can you hear the Jaws theme? Boom Docker is clear, Sage Merlin and Prince Rock are chasing and it’s five lengths back to the rest. Prince Rock gone! He dives left over the 12th and Graham Thorner carried straight on to clear the fence on his own. Ouch! No second win for the man who won on Well To Do five years ago. This is a bit mad from Boom Docker, he must be 20 lengths clear as they turn into the straight for the first time. I guess he and John Williams are having fun but there’s no way they can keep this up. Crisp couldn’t do it and Boom Docker is not Crisp. Boom Docker over the 13th, clear of Sage Merlin, who is in turn clear of Hidden Value, Red Rum and Andy Pandy. Boom Docker over The Chair. He’s not as keen over the fences as he is between them, which is understandable. 3.26pm Sebastian gone! The leader seemed to jump Becher’s fine but pitched on to his knees on the landing side. Winter Rain has fallen and The Songwriter has been badly hampered. Right out the back, Castleruddery has also fallen. This field is already strung out and Barony Fort is at the back of it, Julian Wilson tells us. Boom Docker leads over the smallest fence from Brown Admiral, Hidden Value and Prince Rock. The leaders are over the Canal Turn without further loss, though Reg Crank nearly slipped out of Forest King’s saddle while trying to cut the corner. Boom Docker is building a lead now as they land over Valentine’s. What with him and Sebastian, it feels like they’ve gone a strong pace here. Red Rum gets his first mention in commentary but he’s not in the leading group and I can’t say I’ve noticed him myself. 3.25pm They’ve both gone! Duffle Coat fell, Willy What fell and I think he’s brought down War Bonnet, who was right behind him. Some others have also gone there … John Hanmer tells us Spittin Image also went at the first. Sebastian now leads Prince Rock and Brown Admiral over the second. Davy Lad has unseated Dessie Hughes at the third! That’s an early exit for the Gold Cup winner and the big hope of Ireland. Burrator, Innycarra and Royal Thrust have also gone, Hanmer tells us. Sebastian is loving this place, he’s setting a strong pace and bouncing over these fences. Boom Docker, Prince Rock, Sandwilan and Hidden Value are close behind. On to Becher’s. And they"re off in the National! 3.24pm Spittin Image leads the far-side group but the smaller, classier group on the near side look to have got a step on most of their rivals at the start. Boom Docker and Nereo share the lead there, followed by Andy Pandy and Sandwilan, then Forest King, Brown Admiral and Davy Lad. Gay Vulgan is settled at the back of the near-side group … Across the Melling Road now and the far side have made up the lost ground, led by Duffle Coat. The big grey, Willy What, is easy to see in the middle. Here comes the first … 3.20pm The horses are making quite a good, serviceable line across the course, a few yards back from the starting tape. The BBC flash up a caption telling us Gay Vulgan has shortened to be 8-1 favourite. The starter makes some of them take a turn, there were one or two who were a bit keen to get on with it. “Will the policemen get out the road, please!” the starter calls out over his microphone to constables unseen. 3.15pm There seems to be something holding us up here, though if the Beeb have explained what, then I missed it. But it’s not uncommon to get protestors of one kind or another on the course before the National, so perhaps that’s what’s going on. With 50,000 in the stands and umpteen millions watching on telly, you won’t get many better chances to air your grievance in front of a big audience, if you can catch the camera’s eye. There is also, of course, a big police presence, so this probably won’t be a long hold-up. 3pm Let’s go through the chances of some of the more obvious possible winners: Davy Lad – a tough stayer, won the Gold Cup and second in the Kerry National, giving a tonne of weight to the winner. Andy Pandy – won four times this season, including when he made all in Haydock’s National Trial last time, when Red Rum was 43 lengths behind him. Half a stone better off with Red Rum today. Gay Vulgan – unbeaten in five races this season, including two wins over Prince Rock at Cheltenham. Only beat that one half a length at the March festival but suited by a marathon, as he showed when winning the four-miler on New Year’s Day. Red Rum – won this twice and runner-up for the last two years, making him a legend. But now 12 and seems short of his best. Beat two modest rivals at Carlisle in September, his only win from 17 starts in the past two years. Pengrail – won the Sun Alliance two years ago. Short of wins since then but looks a stayer and this could suit. Zeta’s Son – won the Badger Beer, the Hennessy and the Mildmay Cazalet Memorial this winter. Could be high enough in the weights now, giving 5lb to a Gold Cup winner. Eyecatcher – a veteran who ran the race of her life to be third in this a year ago, jumping the last alongsides Red Rum. Modest form this season but third in a decent race at Ludlow last time. Prince Rock – couple of wins this season and stayed on well over a marathon distance at Worcester in December. Needs to find half a length with Gay Vulgan from their Cheltenham form last month. Sir Garnet – trained by Gordon Richards, two wins at Haydock and another at Ayr this winter. Has twice finished ahead of Red Rum this year. Only eight, so young enough to improve again. What A Buck – tough competitor who won the SGB last season but has found it harder this season. Maybe this extra distance will help? A half-brother to L’Escargot, who beat Red Rum here two years ago. Churchtown Boy – showed his wellbeing with a 15-length win in a shorter race over these fences on Thursday. Can he run another big race just two days later, over two miles further? It’s asking a lot. Fell twice early in the season. Having his 14th run since October. Take your pick, folks! History in the making 2.55pm In about 20 minutes, Charlotte Brew will become the first woman to ride in the Grand National, a consequence of the Sex Discrimination Act from a couple of years back, which effectively killed off the rule preventing female jockeys from taking part. The Sun was excited enough to put her on their front page today under the banner headline “Charlotte’s National”, while “Elvis seriously ill” was relegated to page three. There’s no shortage of racing insiders who don’t like the idea of a woman taking part in this race, including Ginger McCain, trainer of Red Rum. But there’s not much chance of Barony Fort getting in anyone’s way because, as has been established time and again, he’s just not fast enough to do that in a field of this quality. He was gifted to Brew on her 18th birthday and they got along well enough to clear all the fences in the Fox Hunters last year. Can they do the same in this longer, tougher race? Ladbrokes offered 20-1 about that in January and attracted so much interest they had to cut the price in half within days. How our man at the track sees it 2.50pm Richard Baerlein, the Guardian’s racing correspondent, plumped for Gay Vulgan in his tipping piece in this morning’s paper, describing him as “an ideal National type, built in the old-fashioned style. He has now run five times this season without defeat. The further he goes, the better he goes. He jumps well and has an outstanding chance.” Richard is concerned about the hard race Gay Vulgan had when winning the three-mile handicap chase at the Cheltenham Festival but says he has been personally assured by Fulke Walwyn that the horse “is as well as ever and the race has done him no harm”. Richard also puts in a good word for Andy Pandy, Sir Garnet and Zeta’s Son, “one of the most improved handicappers in training”. He reckons Pengrail and Winter Rain will be weak finishers and fears Davy Lad could “get left too far behind” if the ground dries up. One of his sources in Ireland apparently prefers both War Bonnet and Castleruddery to the Gold Cup winner, especially War Bonnet, to be ridden by Tommy Carberry, last year’s winning jockey. Red Rum is described as “the greatest Aintree hero of them all” for his exploits in winning the National twice and finishing second for the last two years. “It would be foolish to ignore his chance,” Richard says, but he reckons there must be younger rivals lurking on handy low weights somewhere in this field. Finally, Richard gives essentially no chance to Charlotte Brew of causing a stir. “Barony Fort must be quite the worst horse ever to be entered,” he declares. Despite his clear interest in this race, Richard could not bring himself to actually nap a horse in the Grand National. Instead, his main selection of the day was Tamanaco in the opening Flat race at Ascot, where the youngster was a game second in a big field about an hour ago. 2.45pm Next up ... it’s the Grand National itself! Templegate Hurdle result 2.43pm 1st= Night Nurse 4-5, 1st= Monksfield 7-2, 3rd Peterhof 10-1. 2.42pm It’s a dead-heat! Evidently the judge couldn’t split these two fine horses. TV camera angles are notoriously tricky but if you backed Monksfield, you’re probably feeling a bit robbed there. 2.40pm The crowd have already been given their money’s worth by an epic finish there, fought out by the two big-name horses with the others well held. That mistake by Night Nurse at the third-last may have proved expensive because it looks from the replay as though Monksfield has held on by a very short-head. I must say, I find Dessie Hughes’s crouched style more attractive than the more upright riding style of Paddy Broderick. Julian Wilson is reminding us that Broderick had hardly used the whip on Night Nurse until last month but that’s two real battles he’s had now. 2.35pm Off they go! Night Nurse straight into the lead ... True Song, Monksfield and Straight Row also to the fore ... King Neptune also in touch ... Magic Note has actually refused at the third ... Fighting Kate also having a tough time in this company ... Flying Diplomat and Peterhof trying to get into this now but Night Nurse still leads .... Oh, he’s belted that! Monksfield left in front ... Night Nurse rallies ... What a battle this is! Photo-finish! Going down for the Templegate Hurdle 2.30pm Here’s the Champion Hurdle rematch between last month’s one-two, Night Nurse and Monksfield. You’ll remember how we all decided the rain-softened ground had gone against Night Nurse at Cheltenham last month and he was allowed to start at 15-2, having been about a third of those odds all winter. Evidently, punters are not about to make that mistake again, as Night Nurse has gone odds-on. But he only had a couple of lengths in hand over Monksfield that day and the Irish runner is 6lb better off this time, which ought to make all the difference in this longer race. Even so, Monksfield has been allowed to drift out to 7-2, while Straight Row and Peterhof are no more popular. Jockey change in the National! 2.25pm John Francome, the reigning champion jockey, will miss this year’s Grand National, as he is apparently still feeling the effects of a tumble he took during Friday’s racing at Aintree. He was due to be aboard Pengrail, who was fifth in the betting this morning at about 12-1. Pengrail was a Cheltenham Festival winner a couple of years ago, in the Sun Alliance Chase, but he hasn’t looked the heartiest of battlers since and it’s possible that Francs isn’t missing out on a whole lot here. Anyway, Ron Atkins gets the leg-up instead. 2.20pm So could it be a big day for raiders from across the Irish Sea? Monksfield takes on Night Nurse in our next race at 2.35pm and of course the Irish are fairly well represented in the Grand National with five runners. One could fret about their lack of recent success in the big race - L’Escargot a couple of years back has been their only winner since Mr What in 1958 - but there seems to be plenty of confidence behind Davy Lad, forecast to start favourite in your morning papers. He looked a real stayer when winning last month’s Gold Cup, plugging on from the back to take a narrow gap between Summerville and Tied Cottage on the run to the final fence. Of course, it helped that the three most fancied horses fell or were brought down that day but any Gold Cup winner is going to look well treated with just 10st 13lb to carry. He’s got 9lb less than Red Rum, for crying out loud! Could Red Rum have won that Gold Cup? Er, no ... 2.15pm An early blow has been struck for the veterans by Skymas, who defied his years and top weight to score a battling victory in the opener. It didn’t look at all likely as a bunch of rivals surged past him after the third-last and Menehall’s backers must have been on excellent terms with themselves when he went on at that point from Vaguely Attractive. He hit the wall almost immediately, however, and it was the Tony Dickinson outsider Santon Brig who swept past on the run to the last. But it looks like Skymas knows where the winning post is because he powered forward under a determined Mouse Morris to hit the front with a few yards to spare. That’s a nice win for the County Antrim trainer Bryan Lusk and another highlight for Northern Ireland’s best horse. Zip Fastener was a bit zippy for his own good, setting the early pace but looking a spent force by the time he belted the fourth-last. Sun Ratings Chase result 2.10pm 1st Skymas 5-1, 2nd Santon Brig 9-1, 3rd Tom Morgan 7-1. 2pm And they’re off ... Skryne has the early lead. Zip Fastener and Spanish Tan are up there ... If you took a chance on the outsider Graigue House, it’s not looking great, he can’t go the early pace ... Zip Fastener’s gone on now ... Mistake by Spanish Tan there and he’s coming under pressure ... Here comes Skymas, but there’s a few still in this ... Menehall takes it up with two to jump ... Santon Brig now making a big move ... No, it’s Skymas after all! 1.55pm They’re down at the start for the opener, the Sun Ratings Limited Handicap Chase. Skymas is the big name here, having won the Two Mile Champion Chase for the second time last month. But obviously that means he gets more weight than the others, 12 stone, in fact. You’d think he’d be favourite anyway but evidently punters want to take on the 12-year-old and they’ve gone with a couple of horses from the power yards of Fulke Walwyn and Fred Rimell; that’s Menehall and Zip Fastener, now joint-favourites at 9-2. Menehall, of course, won this race last year, one of five wins for him last season, but this winter has been less fruitful and he doesn’t have any secrets from the handicapper. Things have certainly been coming together for Zip Fastener, who’s won three of his last four, but this is a step up in class. Meanwhile, The Guardian’s Chris Hawkins has gone with that hefty Scottish chaser, Tom Morgan, who was third to Skymas at Cheltenham last year and won the Grand Annual last month. 1.50pm Those of you watching the BBC’s coverage may have noticed a difference to this year’s coverage, to wit the absence of David Coleman, who normally presents Grandstand from Aintree on Grand National day. Alas for his admirers, Mr Coleman has been in a contract dispute with Auntie since the end of last year, so Frank Bough has bravely donned what appears to be a tweedy trilby and boarded a train for Lime Street. So far, sightings of said trilby have been limited, because Grandstand’s producers were mad keen to show us some of the boxing from Wembley this week and of course they could hardly ignore the table tennis world championships taking place in Birmingham. But the gee-gees are now set to take over our screens. That will also be true if, for some reason, you favour World Of Sport over on ITV, which is showing racing from Ascot and Towcester. They’ve lined up a Barry Sheene documentary for 3.15pm as a way of luring sports fans who haven’t had a bet on the big race. “It’s not for the faint-hearted,” Dickie Davies promises. But are there enough thrill-seekers to support both channels? World Of Sport might have been better off scheduling something specifically for the faint-hearted, who are going to be short of viewing matter this afternoon. 1.45pm Early betting on the National: 8-1 Davy Lad 10-1 Andy Pandy, Gay Vulgan, Red Rum 12-1 Pengrail, Zeta’s Lad 14-1 War Bonnet, Winter Rain 16-1 Eyecatcher, Prince Rock, Sir Garnet, What A Buck 22-1 Sage Merlin 25-1 Sebastian V 28-1 Brown Admiral, Forest Rock Preamble It’s Grand National day again, a great sporting tradition dating back to 1839 and interrupted since then only by the world wars. We’ve got 42 runners in the big race this time, chasing a massive £50,000 in prize money, most of it supplied by The News Of The World, now in their third year as sponsors. Which horse will carry your money? We’ll run through some of the more tempting options a bit later, before the race starts at 3.15pm (BST). Predictably enough, there has been a lot of sentimental backing for dear Red Rum, back in the line-up for the fifth year in a row, and it looks as though the old horse might end up as second-favourite. But the form experts will tell you he’s been a shadow of his former self this winter and the serious money will go elsewhere. It will probably not go on Barony Fort, who will make a bit of history today as the first Grand National runner to be ridden by a woman. Charlotte Brew has shown herself to be very determined in the build-up and of course the pairing cleared these fences when fourth in the Fox Hunters last year. But this will be a much more severe test of horse and jockey. We’ll reflect on their prospects later. Aintree racecourse has been in pretty obvious jeopardy since it was bought by a property developer four years ago but the involvement of Ladbrokes in managing the place has helped it recover some of its old spark. There was a real low a couple of years back when just 1,500 people turned up for the Thursday of National week but those numbers have been turned around and this year’s innovation of ditching Flat races from the three-day programme seems to have been well received. Aintree appears to be on its way to building its own festival of jump racing, to rival the March meeting at Cheltenham and indeed the three main heroes from last month’s action will be back to entertain us today. The Gold Cup winner, Davy Lad, will try to follow up in the National while the champion hurdler, Night Nurse, lines up in our second race, the Templegate Hurdle, in about half an hour. First up is the two-mile champion chaser, Skymas, giving weight away to all his rivals in a handicap at 2pm. It’s been wet and windy in the Liverpool area for the first two days’ racing but the weather has cheered up in time for the big day itself. The going is good to soft and a crowd of 50,000 or so is already lining the rails …