Fountains Windfall wins Handicap Hurdlepublished at 13:52 British Summer Time 8 April 2017
David Noonan comes come well clear of the rest on Fountains Windfall. A commanding victory.
Image source, ReutersSummary
One for Arthur (14-1) wins the 170th Grand National at Aintree
Ridden by Derek Fox and trained by Lucinda Russell
Owned by Belinda McClung and Debs Thomson - aka the 'Two Golf Widows'
Scotland's first National winner since Rubstic in 1979
2nd: Cause of Causes (16-1), 3rd: Saint Are (25-1), 4th: Blaklion (8-1 fav)
Definitly Red pulled up at ninth fence
All 40 horses come home safely
Fountains Windfall wins Handicap Hurdlepublished at 13:52 British Summer Time 8 April 2017
Image source, ReutersHandicap Hurdlepublished at 13:51 British Summer Time 8 April 2017
Fountains Windfall leads by five lengths or so as they turn for home...
First race under waypublished at 13:46 British Summer Time 8 April 2017
The first race of the afternoon is the Handicap Hurdle.
The favourite is the sublimely-named No Hassle Hoff.
Presumably he would prefer the going a little more sandy, some fire engine red silks and a slow-motion soundtrack.
They are away to cheers from the grandstands.
Image source, ReutersLatest going at Aintreepublished at 13:43 British Summer Time 8 April 2017
Frank Keogh
BBC Sport at AintreeThe going has changed from first thing this morning to:
- Grand National Course - Good to Soft, Good in places (from Good, Good to Soft in places)
- Mildmay Course - Good, Good to Soft in places (from Good)
- Hurdle Course - Good (remains the same
Aintree clerk of the course Andrew Tulloch said: "We completed the watering programme, which started after racing yesterday, this morning and the going changes reflect the five millimetres of water applied."
The racecardpublished at 13:39 British Summer Time 8 April 2017
Image source, ReutersThe Grand National is the granddaddy of British jump racing, the blockbuster feature on the card. But it is not the only race in Aintree-town today.
This is the supporting cast.
13:40 : Gaskells Handicap Hurdle 3m ½f
14:25 : Betway Mersey Novices' Hurdle 2m 4f
15:00 : Doom Bar Maghull Novices' Steeple Chase 2m
15:40 : Betway Handicap Steeple Chase 3m 1f
16:20 : Ryanair Stayers' Hurdle (Registered as the Liverpool Hurdle) 3m ½f
17:15 : Randox Health Grand National Steeple Chase 4m 2½f
18:15 : Pinsent Masons Handicap Hurdle 2m ½f
Let's paint the town redpublished at 13:38 British Summer Time 8 April 2017
Image source, Racing PostThe Racing Post are risking the ire of the one footballing half of Liverpool with their scarlet-tinted front page complete with Liverpool FC's badge, the Royal Liver Building and the fab four.
They justify it though as they pick up on a theme of red-referencing fancied runners with Vieux Lion Rouge and Definitly Red being poised to follow in the hooveprints of Red Rum.
Get Involvedpublished at 13:36 British Summer Time 8 April 2017
Who are you on?
Image source, Getty ImagesOnly one question to ask this afternoon: Who have you got?
And only one follow-up: Why?
Let us know via #bbcracing, external on Twitter, the BBC Sport Facebook page, external or 81111 on text.
The more convoluted and tangential the reasoning - the first horse with a seven-letter name is my dad's hi-tech tipping technique - the better.
Warm day, winning line and welfarepublished at 13:27 British Summer Time 8 April 2017
Frank Keogh
BBC Sport at AintreeWith temperatures potentially reaching 20C, some of the leading horses in the Grand National may not immediately be brought into the winner's enclosure.
Aintree boss John Baker said: "It is forecast to be a warm afternoon and therefore racegoers should not be surprised if jockeys dismount on the course after the Grand National and buckets of water are thrown over the horses as they are led to the wash-down area.
"This is a normal procedure, rather than being exceptional, and hopefully everyone will recognise that the horses are always our top priority.
"This may mean that one or two of the first four horses, who normally come into the winner's enclosure, may not do so as cooling down continues."
Today is the daypublished at 13:27 British Summer Time 8 April 2017
Image source, Rex FeaturesIt is a bobby-dazzler of a day as well.
The last wispy bits of candy-floss cloud have been fried off and we are full of spring zip and vim.
The going is Good to Soft, Good in places on the National course, but it is only getting firmer.
A full housepublished at 13:21 British Summer Time 8 April 2017
Image source, GettyAnd this year is as big as any.
The prize pot of £1m means that it is the richest chase outside of the Japan.
There will be 70,000 paying customers in the stands with plenty more making use of a few free vantage points.
And come 17:15 the bets will be cast, the talk will be done and all that will be left will be for forty runners to tackle the monster National course once again to find the winner in their midst.
The race that has held a nation's attentionpublished at 13:12 British Summer Time 8 April 2017
Image source, GettyOne Tuesday in February 1839, 18 runners lined up on the startline for the Grand Liverpool Steeplechase.
The starter called the field together. The jockeys stared down the barrel of a course that included a stone wall, a stretch of ploughed earth and a couple of hurdles.
A moment's pause and then they cantered into the fray to start a tradition that has held the nation's attention for the next 178 years.
Image source, Getty Images