AINTREE 17:15

Non Runners: ESCARIA TEN (FR). Fences: 29.

Time: 9m 11.2s Closing Sectional: (6.28f): 95.5s (105.6%)

Overrounds: Industry SP 149%, Betfair SP 105%

The first fence after the winning post was omitted on the final circuit due to a stricken horse

The backdrop to this year's Grand National, of wider-media publicity afforded to animal rights campaigners, whose protests on the day led to a delay of around 15 minutes, put an even greater focus on the safety of the race and it's hard to argue - whether the extra-curricular chaos had a detrimental impact on some of the field and a seemingly rushed start or not - that it answered in the affirmative as to whether everything that can and should be done in that regard is so, starting most sensibly with a possible reduction in field size from the long-held limit of 40, which this year could have been achieved by preventing the 8 that were out of the weights - only one of whom finished in the first 10 - from taking part, this the first time for a decade that not everything ran from its long-handicap mark, Hill Sixteen's fatal fall at the first setting the tone for a rather chaotic running more reminiscent of a different era following several years of far more palatable renewals light on incident and injury; there seemed a possibility until fairly late on in the week that the race may not even fill, with the number of original entries, British-trained ones at least, down considerably, yet the trend of greatly increased quality in recent National fields continued, with 6 of them on a mark of 160 or higher, the best of whom proved to be the 2022 winner Noble Yeats, though his late rally was enough only for a more minor role behind a trio comprising a pair of Grade 1 winners - 7 lined up in all - in second and third and a thrown-in winner firmly on the path to such company himself, making for quite possibly the strongest-looking National form ever.

CORACH RAMBLER (IRE) ended Ireland's stranglehold on the great race dating back to his stablemate One For Arthur's heroics in 2017, looking the standout at the weights from the same mark as when landing back-to-back Ultimas but still going down as one of the most fuss-free National winners of all-time, bar the latest rendition of his party trick once the race was in the bag that is, making light of the big fences kept closer to the pace than usual and tanking his way closer in the straight before soaring to the front over the last and sprinting clear, 7 lengths to the good at The Elbow before his trademark idleness set in, value for that margin rather than the final one over the runner-up for all that rival was finishing with rare purpose; much like Noble Yeats, and in a reflection of the changing shape of the Grand National, this needn't represent the end of Corach Rambler's big-race successes, with even the Cheltenham Gold Cup a far-from-fanciful main target for next spring the way he's gone so far and indeed continues to go, quotes as big as 33/1 surely wide of the mark.

VANILLIER (FR) will have a higher mark to contend with if bidding to go one better in 2024 but only now seems to be getting to grips with chasing, plus he's got age on his side and couldn't have shaped much more encouragingly in defeat from an awful long way back in this first attempt, coping surprisingly well with the fences but still no better than ninth as close to home as 2 out (8 lengths behind eventual winner) and only a place nearer over the last before mustering the sort of surge that had carried him to a clear-cut Albert Bartlett win in 2021, finishing with even more to give despite having covered in excess of 4¼m; he'd have to be right at the top of any early shortlists for next year, when his campaign will presumably be geared solely around another crack.

GAILLARD DU MESNIL (FR) showed no ill-effects from a hard race in the National Hunt Chase as he did best of the Mullins contingent by some way to match his position in the Irish version last season, if anything worth marking up having covered plenty of ground switching outside then in at points on the way around; he was widest of all and still in rear when not fluent crossing Foinavon for the second time, but he'd been moved back to the inner as he made his move in the straight, staying on all the while despite having had his momentum halted briefly by an error 2 out.

NOBLE YEATS (IRE) couldn't emulate last year and make light of a poor early position, all looking hard work from a long way out for all he somehow found enough to hit the frame (ninth since Red Rum era to achieve that feat when bidding to defend crown), his run in filling the same position in the Gold Cup perhaps having taken an edge off him for all he was 19 lb higher this time around; soon in rear, he went with little fluency out wide (mistake third), needed reminders under a circuit out and was struggling still at the second last before he rallied, testament to his staying prowess that he'd worked his way into fourth approaching the line.

THE BIG DOG (IRE) ran every bit as well as could be expected - and possibly even better - tackling Aintree for the first time from a reassessed mark 11 lb higher than that he'd had when third in the Welsh version, a fittingly creditable end to a fine season; settled mid-field early but had tanked his way handy under a circuit out, second when ridden entering straight, one paced.

BORN BY THE SEA (IRE) seemed to excel himself as he did easily best of the octet out of the weights, in his case to the tune of 6 lb, adapting well to the fences and the much longer trip getting him a long way, suggesting he's uncertain to reproduce this form another day; mid-division, effort when short of room briefly run-in, stayed on.

ROI MAGE (FR) took well to the course, fluent jumping and travelling getting him a long way, though he'd left the impression by the end that his stamina had run dry; jumped well, travelled fluently, settled mid-field early, went handy before halfway, third when shaken up after 2 out, no extra flat.

MISTER COFFEY (FR) is a maiden for a reason but could conceivably break his duck in one of the shorter-distance races around here next season so well did he adapt to the examination, jumping/travelling with bags of zest as he made most after taking over at the tenth, clear briefly in the straight but reeled in when not fluent at the last as his stamina began to empty, losing 6 places - and more than 4 times as many lengths - on the flat.

A WAVE OF THE SEA (IRE) made little appeal on paper in terms of profile and essentially was never better than mid-field despite faring better than might have been expected tackling a trip more than double what he'd faced in the Grand Annual.

LE MILOS had seen things out well in the old Hennessy in the autumn but found this marathon test placing too much emphasis on stamina; patiently ridden, settled in rear out wide, smooth headway briefly end of back straight, shaken up before 2 out, not sustain effort; he'll begin next season with age on his side and with only 4 runs for Skelton under his belt.

OUR POWER (IRE) shaped better than the bare result, a combination of a trip too far and the effect of a couple of errors ensuring he was beaten much further than seemed likely for a long way, 2 lb out of the handicap but set to be a further 4 lb higher when next seen having won at Ascot post the publication of the weights; settled mid-field early, went prominent first Canal Turn, mistake The Chair, in contention still 3 out, tiring when bad mistake 2 out.

ENJOY D'ALLEN (FR) negotiated 29 more fences than in 2022 but to little end, jumping tentatively, never travelling that well and never on terms.

FORTESCUE went with more zest in first-time blinkers from 3 lb out of the weights after 8 weeks off but didn't finish off his race in kind, enigma that he is, rather too keen waited with and behind by second Becher's after taking closer order over a circuit out

CAREFULLY SELECTED (IRE) probably remains in form for all he might have been expected to see things out better than he did; settled in rear, headway under pressure out wide early in straight, effort proved short-lived.

MINELLA TRUMP (IRE) predictably failed to stay, albeit after holding his own for a long way; tracked pace, pecked fifteenth, mistake 5 out, weakened straight.

FRANCKY DU BERLAIS (FR) possibly found the race coming too soon after his Cross Country grueller, beaten before his doubtful stamina was put to the test from 2 lb out of the weights, completing a rare down week over these fences for the stable; settled mid-field out wide, lost ground over circuit out, behind nineteenth.

AIN'T THAT A SHAME (IRE) ran a race like so many fancied first-timers unproven at the trip in this over the years, in his case just not a thorough stayer; held up, not settle fully, good progress 5 out, weakened entering straight.

HILL SIXTEEN had cheekpieces added for the big day but, most regrettably, fell fatally at the first.

THE BIG BREAKAWAY (IRE) had new headgear enlisted (blinkers) but, not unsurprisingly, wasn't long in departing, though it was hardly his fault, badly hampered when falling at the second.

SAM BROWN had undergone a breathing operation since Uttoxeter but his issues seemed more lack of enthusiasm for the unique test, not going with much fluency at all before falling heavily at The Chair.

FURY ROAD (IRE) had a big stamina question to answer but fell at the second in any case.

RECITE A PRAYER (IRE) 1 lb out of the weights, led briefly before the first only to take a bump and unseat in softish fashion on landing.

EVA'S OSKAR (IRE) seemed unlikely to disgrace himself with a tongue tie added from just out of the handicap when hampered and unseating at the twentieth whilst still in mid-field.

GABBYS CROSS (IRE) had little go right in the race, hampered at the second and still behind when unseating at The Chair.

MR INCREDIBLE (IRE) set off without alarm only to add another layer of comedy to his record as his rider - the saddle perhaps having slipped - exited in slow-motion fashion following second Canal Turn, having been knocked back by a mistake at the fence before (Foinavon).

CLOUDY GLEN (IRE) slithered on landing at the first and unseated.

DIOL KER (FR) sent his rider airborne at the first.

DARASSO (FR) had little hope of staying but was caught in the melee at the second and unseated anyway.

LONGHOUSE POET (IRE) was going smoothly tracking the pace up the inner when on the wrong stride at the first Canal Turn, robbing him of the chance to better last year's sixth (when he'd gone too keenly).

LIFETIME AMBITION (IRE) had jumped superbly up with the pace only for luck to desert him, the loose Cloudy Glen veering right into his path approaching first Valentine's and giving his rider no chance of staying aboard.

DELTA WORK (FR) hasn't had much go in his way in 2 Grand National bids, doing well to finish third in disadvantageous circumstances in 2022 but not even completing this time as he was impeded slightly, slithered on landing and unseated at the twentieth, having been given time to recover from a blunder when in close quarters at the second.

GALVIN (IRE) unseated Davy Russell at the first on the jockey's final ride in the race.

BACK ON THE LASH faced a stiff task from 3 lb out of the handicap but did enough to suggest he was in better form than at Cheltenham; settled mid-field out wide for long way but started to struggle when mistake second Canal Turn, pulled up 5 out.

DUNBOYNE (IRE) was tried in different headgear (blinkers) but just isn't cut out for such a test, that he was 2 lb out of the weights immaterial; took little interest, jumped ponderously, pulled up circuit out.

VELVET ELVIS (IRE) ran poorly, presumably just not fancying it back in a much more demanding environment despite having finished sixth in the Irish equivalent last season; mid-field, lost place when mistake thirteenth, tailed off when pulled up early final circuit.

CAPE GENTLEMAN (IRE) suffered a career-ending injury, severing a tendon and pulled up after the thirteenth, all after he'd almost been wiped out at the first.

COKO BEACH (FR) didn't last nearly as long as the year before, taken on for the lead and not avoiding errors this time before dropping away from 4 out, having been headed again when getting the eighteenth all wrong.

CAPODANNO (FR) wasn't easy to assess given his sparse campaigning but probably ought to go down as something of a let-down, notwithstanding he seemed to fail for stamina as well; patiently ridden, mistake third, clouted third, some headway out wide before 5 out, faltered straight.

ANY SECOND NOW (IRE) gave little hope he was going to emulate Amberleigh House in 2004 by making it third time lucky in a Grand National, conversely receiving little in the way of good fortune (never going well after badly hampered second) and tailed off when pulled up early on the final circuit.