1. Duke Of Lucca (R Johnson) 12-1

2. Vino Griego (J E Moore) 25-1

3. Gullinbursti (N Fehily) 10-1

Duke Of Lucca, with Richard Johnson on board, wins the Betfred TV Handicap Chase by a head.

John Guy:, external Placed my bet on Monbeg Dude and have got a feeling the horse will win...

Interesting news on the betting front from Tom. The final race before the National, the Betfred TV Handicap Chase, is under way. Victor Hewgo has gone off as the 9-2 favourite.

Tom Fordyce
BBC Sport's chief sports writer at Aintree

"Quickening interest on the rammed concourses for Triolo D'Alene after his jockey Barry Geraghty's success on board Whisper in the Silver Cross Stayers' Hurdle. Geraghty won the National on Monty's Pass in 2003 and was fourth both the following year and in 2010 on Big Fella Thanks; dampening down the omens is the fact that Triolo's trainer Nicky Henderson has never had a winner in any of his 33 National runners."

The brollies are up at Aintree as the heavens open with just under an hour to go until the big race. How does that affect your punt? Or have you already placed your bet? Let me know who you are backing.

Image source, Reuters

Nicky Henderson might be a three-time champion trainer, but he is yet to win Aintree's biggest race. However, he believes he has his best chance yet as Long Run, Hunt Ball, Triolo D'Alene and Shakalakaboomboom all line up for the start this afternoon.

"It's probably more realistic [to have a winner] than it's been before," Henderson, 63, told BBC South Today. "We've had several shots at it and been close. It's the one that's missing. We've been close enough a few times, so it would be nice to win before it's all over."

Richard Pitman, beaten aboard Crisp in 1973 when Red Rum claimed the National, tells BBC Radio Merseyside: "It's not the lottery it once was. It's a race for proper racehorses now. The changes to the course and safety modifications are fantastic and needed, but they have certainly made it more winnable and taken an element of uncertainty out of it. My fancy is Long Run. A class horse with form in top races. He used to duck his head a little on landing after jumps but he has got better and for me, if he turns up, he has to finish in the top four."

There's always a few myths going around on Grand National day when it comes to betting, and BetVictor's Charlie McCann, external has been looking into them this week. Here's his list of potential myths and whether they are indeed true or false.

Irish horses train on sand so you should back Irish-trained horses on soft ground in the National? False

Only outsiders win the National - False

Your horse must carry less than 11 stone - True

A grey horse never wins the National - Largely true

French bred horses never win the National - Previously true, now false

Back the older jockey (teenagers do not win the National) - True

Always back a horse that has raced in the National before - Mostly True

Pick a well-rested horse for the long race - False

Cornelius Lysaght
BBC horse racing correspondent at Aintree

"County Stand renamed Lord Daresbury Stand in honour of retiring chairman Peter Greenall (after 25 years). He is also inducted into the Grand National Hall of Fame."

Ginger McCain and Fred Rimell share the accolade of most successful trainer in the Grand National's history with four wins. McCain triumphed in the great race through the record-breaking Red Rum (1973, 1974 & 1977) and Amberleigh House (2004), while Rimell was also responsible for E.S.B. (1956), Nicolaus Silver (1961), Gay Trip (1970) and Rag Trade (1976).

Image source, PA

Barry Geraghty, who will be on Triolo D'Alene in the Grand National, on Channel 4: "He [Whisper] got himself in a state before the race. He was over-hyped and over-revved and I thought he had no chance. Considering the state he had himself in, he did really well.

On Triolo D'Alene: "I think he has a good chance. It is a very open race and hopefully it will be a good one."

1. Whisper (B J Geraghty) 4-1

2. At Fishers Cross (A P McCoy) 11-8 Fav

3. Thousand Stars (P Townend) 11-1

For the second race in succession, AP McCoy has to settle for a place as Whisper beats At Fishers Cross by a length in the Silver Cross Stayers' Hurdle. A decent win for the Nicky Henderson-Barry Geraghty team.

There's some good horses in the next race, the Silver Cross Stayers' Hurdle. AP McCoy is on the favourite, At Fishers Cross, while Paul Nicholls-trained Zarkander is also highly-fancied. That race is now under way.

George Stevens is the most successful jockey in Grand National history with five successes on Free Trader (1856), Emblem (1863), Emblematic (1864) and The Colonel (1869 and 1870).

Jockey Brendan Powell, who rides 50-1 shot Battle Group in the Grand National, has been telling Channel 4 what advice his national-winning father has given him. Brendan Sr won the race in 1988 on Rhyme 'n' Reason.

"Try and get round in one piece," said Powell Jr. "That is easier said than done. He does jump well but it's his first time over the National fences. He can be a bit of a monkey - when he has too much time to think about it he starts thinking about other things."

There's a bit of rain in the air at Aintree. Hopefully we don't need to press Cliff into action, like at Wimbledon in 1996.

Image source, PA

As if to prove the lottery of picking a winner in the National, the Sun's Steve Jones, external has backed a different horse to the tips we have had so far. He isn't the only one going for 20-1 chance Prince De Beauchene though, with 18-time champion jockey AP McCoy also predicting the Willie Mullins-trained horse with Paul Townend on top has a chance.

The Daily Mail's, external tipster Sam Turner believes trainer Nicky Henderson will end his National hoodoo with 16-1 shot Long Run. Henderson enjoyed three victories in Friday's action at Aintree and Turner says he "has a huge chance of recording a momentous triumph".

Frank Keogh
BBC Sport at Aintree

BBC Sport's Frank Keogh at Aintree:, external I asked Paul Carberry, who passed doctor's check and rides Monbeg Dude, who his biggest challenger was. Reply: 'The fences'.

There is continued support for Double Seven, the Grand National mount of champion jockey AP McCoy, now about 10-1 favourite ahead of Teaforthree (11-1).