Katie Walsh
Former jockey Katie Walsh on BBC Radio 5 Live

I'd love to see a female jockey winning the race. We are getting closer to that day. Will it be today, I don’t know?

When I was competing, it was just usual business, to be honest. I never looked at it in any other way although I knew it was a different race - a special race and a race that everyone wants to take part in and be a part of.

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We have three jockeys who all have good chances - Rachael Blackmore, Bryony Frost and Tabitha Worsley - but the question mark for so many horses is are they going to stay? You can’t call that until it happens.

Image source, Getty Images

Could it be amateur hour at Aintree for the first time since 1990?

It is 31 years since Marcus Armytage landed the big one on board Mr Frisk.

Since then the winning jockeys have all come from the paid ranks.

Patrick Mullins gets a shot on board leading contender Burrows Saint for his trainer father Willie Mullins after stable jockey Paul Townend suffered a foot injury.

Elsewhere Jamie Codd (Milan Native), Derek O'Connor (OK Corral) and Sam Waley-Cohen (Jett) make it four amateur riders in the race.

Read more about the potential headline-makers in the 2021 race.

1 Thyme Hill (T J O'Brien) 5-2 Fav

2 Roksana (Harry Skelton) 7-2

3 Thomas Darby (J W Kennedy) 28-1

15 ran

We are off in the fourth race of the day.

This is expected to be a dust-up between Paisley Park and Thyme Hill.

Image source, PA

The death of the Duke of Edinburgh on Friday has been marked at the course.

A two-minute silence was held before racing, while flags at the track are at half mast, and jockeys are wearing black armbands.

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The total prize fund is £750,000 with the winning team collecting £375,000.

Frank Keogh
BBC Sport at Aintree

Much of the focus in the build-up to today's big race has been on jockey Rachael Blackmore, and why not after she created history at last month's Cheltenham Festival.

The 31-year-old Irish rider, who is on board Minella Times in the Grand National, became the first woman to be leading jockey at the meeting.

I was in the privileged position of being at the finishing post as she returned after all six of her victories.

'Well done,' I would say. 'Thank you, thank you' was always the polite reply.

A game changer, but a modest one. Blackmore is respected for hard graft allied with poise and timing in the saddle.

Image source, Getty Images

Could this year see the first female jockey winning the Grand National?

There is plenty of chance.

Rachael Blackmore, who was the top rider at Cheltenham, is on board Minella Times while Bryony Frost, who won the King George VI Chase on Boxing Day, will guide Yala Enki.

Tabitha Worsley rides 100-1 shot Sub Lieutenant.

The best finish by a female rider in the Grand National so far is Katie Walsh's third on board Seabass in 2012.

Read more about 2021's possible headline-makers.

Shishkin looked very impressive in victory, fully justifying his credentials as heavy favourites.

1 Shishkin (Nico de Boinville) 1-8 Fav

2 Funambule Sivola (Charlie Deutsch) 14-1

3 Gumball (T J O'Brien) 16-1

5 ran

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As the manager of Manchester United, Sir Alex Ferguson prized any victories on Merseyside.

He goes for another at Aintree with Give Me A Copper - a horse he part owns with four others.

"I've always thought this race would suit him," said the 11-time champion trainer Paul Nicholls, who sent out the grey Neptune Colllonges to win the 2012 National from his Somerset stables.

Read more about the 2021 race's potential headline-makers

Jockey Harry Cobden will miss his ride on Give Me A Copper in the Grand National.

Cobden took a heavy fall in the last race on Lucky One and has been taken to hospital for further assessment.

Sean Bowen comes in for the ride on the horse, which is part-owned by former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson.

Frank Keogh
BBC Sport at Aintree

Cloth Cap remains favourite for the big race although is now around a 6-1 chance, having been 4-1 earlier in the week.

Two of the big movers are Mister Malarky and Takingrisks, down to around 12-1 having been at least three times that price a couple of days ago.

Latest odds: 6-1 Cloth Cap, 9-1 Burrows Saint, 10-1 Minella Times, Any Second Now; 12-1 Mister Malarky, Takingrisks; 16-1 Bar

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The Grand National is staged over slightly more than four and a quarter miles. It is a handicap, in which each runner is allocated a different weight according to a rating of their ability.

There are 30 fences including Becher's Brook, the Chair and the Canal Turn.

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The last two Grand Nationals have been won by Tiger Roll. But there won't be a third successive triumph.

Tiger Roll was withdrawn from the race in March, with owners Michael and Eddie O'Leary unhappy with the weight the horse had been given.

The 11-year-old was fourth in Thursday's Betway Bowl at Aintree.

1 My Drogo (Harry Skelton) 5-4 Fav

2 Minella Drama (B S Hughes) 12-1

3 Guard Your Dreams (Sam Twiston-Davies) 28-1

12 ran

My Drogo, the 5-4 favourite, has won the Betway Mersey Novices' Hurdles.

Frank Keogh
BBC Sport at Aintree

Grand National Day in this part of Merseyside is normally a hive of activity as 70,000 spectators descend on the racecourse.

This time the only people in attendance are jockeys, trainers, racehorse owners, staff and a limited number of media.

The bars are closed. There are no bookmakers. But there is still an air of excitement as we wait to see who will join the National roll of honour.

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Have you drawn an unknown out of the sweepstake?

Wonder no longer.

BBC Sport's pinstickers' guide is here to give you a brief rundown of the details and chances of your chosen runner.

Grand National 2021: Pinstickers' guide

Image source, PA Media

The big race gets under way at 17:15 BST. There is a full card of racing at Aintree today. But all eyes will be on the Grand National.

Hometown Boy has already won the opener - the Systems Handicap Hurdle - but there is plenty more to come.

14:25 Betway Mersey Novices' Hurdle (Grade 1) 2m 4f

15:00 Doom Bar Maghull Novices' Steeple Chase (Grade 1) 2m

15:35 Ryanair Stayers' Hurdle (Registered as the Liverpool Hurdle) (Grade 1) 3m ½f

16:15 Betway Handicap Steeple Chase (Listed) 3m 1f

17:15 Randox Grand National Steeple Chase (Grade 3) 4m 2½f

18:20 Weatherbys Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race (Grade 2) 2m 1f