Thanks for joining us. We’ll have more from Greg Wood and Sean Ingle at Aintree later this evening, with more follow-up on Sunday.

The Grand National didn’t go the Skelton way but just about everything else has. Look Me was second. Merlin Allen was third. “This is the one we trained for this race,” says Dan Skelton. “He’s had a winter break and we really prepped him for this. Heidi, big day for her. What a meeting, we’ve had a fabulous day.”

On Panic Attack: “She didn’t even get her landing gear on. There was a lot going on out there, an old-fashioned National, and everyone’s OK, that’s the main thing.”

He pays tribute to Willie Mullins, as Willie did for him earlier.

Look Me is sat towards the rear of the field as Bass Hunter sets the pace as they go to the back straight. Bass Hunter sets the pace as they turn into the final straight from Rices Pool. Look Me looks for room and goes on the outside. Forthfactor under Heidi Palin, a Skelton horse, takes it, a 10/1 shot.

The horses are at the start for the bumper…and off they go over the two-mile race. Rices Pool is to the fore. Bass Hunter sits out the front as they go past the grandstand.

Paul Townend rides Look Me in the bumper, and is last to take to the track before the final race of the Aintree festival.

Ben Jones, whose ride on Jordans smashed apart the race, had this to say to the Racing Post: “It was unbelievable. I had such a smooth run round, it was just magical. “I had a wonderful time. He nearly got brought down in the early part of the race and it was probably the best thing really because I just took my time and let him warm up into it. After I jumped the Canal Turn for the last time he just lit up. He jumped unbelievably. The loose horses probably didn’t help me round the Elbow, if they came with me he wouldn’t have got so lonely but he’s run a blinder.”

5.00 NHF odds

Bass Hunter – 7/4
Look Me – 3/1
Risky Obsession – 11/1
One Knight – 12/1
Rices Pool – 14/1
Merlin Allen – 16/1
Ronnie Russet – 16/1
The Perfect Poet – 18/1
18/1 BAR

5.00 NATIONAL HUNT FLAT RACE, 2M 209YD

There may be more punters streaming towards central Liverpool than there are in the stands as the final race of the meeting sets off, but there are some very promising young horses engaged in the bumper and most recent winners have been worth following next season. The clear form pick is Bass Hunter, third in the equivalent race at Cheltenham last month, but there is, as ever, a wealth of untapped potential in the field and Willie Mullins’s Look Me, Dan Skelton’s Risky Obsession and the once-raced Rices Pool, who posted a useful time when successful on debut at Taunton in February, are all interesting alternatives.

SELECTION: RICES POOL

More from winning trainer Willie Mullins: “He got a fantastic ride. It was a good call to stick with Aintree with him, rather than go down the Gold Cup route. It’s hard to win with top weight but maybe the modern National is changing and we have to look at it differently. This is the race we aspire to win when we go into racing.”

Here’s our report, with Greg Wood’s copy to follow from Aintree.

F= fell, PU = pulled up, UR = unseated rider

• 1. I Am Maximus (FR) 9/2.

• 2. Iroko (FR) 18/1

• 3. Jordans (FR) 28/1

• 4 Johnnywho (IRE) 12/1

• 5. High Class Hero 66/1

• 6. Favori De Champdou (FR) 40/1

• 7. Final Orders 22/1

• 8 .Three Card Brag (IRE) 50/1

• 9. Monty’s Star (IRE) 14/1

• 10. Answer To Kayf 100/1

• 11. Gorgeous Tom (IRE) 20/1

• 12. Imperial Saint (FR) 50/1

• 13. Haiti Couleurs (FR) 28/1

• 14. Twig 40/1

• 15. Firefox (IRE) 40/1

• F. Panic Attack (IRE) 7/1

• F. Gerri Colombe (FR) 33/1

• F. Marble Sands (FR) 66/1

• F. Top Of The Bill (IRE) 50/1

• F. Stellar Story (IRE) 33/1

• F. Mr Vango (IRE) 66/1

• F. Quai De Bourbon (FR) 33/1

• PU The Real Whacker (IRE) 50/1

• PU Amirite (IRE) 100/1

• PU Lecky Watson (IRE) 50/1

• PU Spanish Harlem (FR) 50/1

• UR Banbridge (IRE) 33/1

• UR Beauport (IRE) 80/1

• UR Grangeclare West (IRE) 9/1

• UR Perceval Legallois (FR) 33/1

• UR Captain Cody (IRE) 22/1

• UR Jagwar (FR) 17/2

• UR Oscars Brother (IRE) 14/1

Top Of The Bill is up, according to ITV’s Ed Chamberlin. Robbie Dunne is being assessed at hospital.

Robbie Dunne, who was unshipped from Stellar Story, the Gordon Elliott horse, took a heavy fall and has received treatment.

• 1. I Am Maximus (Paul Townend) 9-2 Fav

• 2. Iroko (Jonjo O’Neill Jr.) 18-1

• 3. Jordans (Ben Jones) 28-1

• 4 .Johnnywho (R P McLernon) 12-1

34 ran

Fuller result to follow.

There are concerns over Top Of The Bill, as ridden by Toby McCain-Mitchell and trained by Nigel & Willy Twiston-Davies. He was among the leaders before coming down. Quai De Bourbon, ridden by Donagh Meyler and trained by Willie Mullins, has walked into a horse ambulance.

Willie Mullins, winning trainer: “Most trouble he got was from his stablemates they didn’t give him much room. Wow, a good call from JP. I wanted to go down the Gold Cup route. He said he was well handicapped. Paul just executed it perfectly. It’s the race you want to win and grow up watching….[I Am Maximus] is just a superstar.”

Willie Mullins has trained the last three Grand National winners, with I Am Maximus in 2024 and 2026, either side of Nick Rockett in 2025. Jordans, well, did it go too early? PW Mullins, last year’s winning jockey, was shipped out at the first.

Paul Townend, the winning jockey, speaks to Alice Plunkett: “The cheekpieces helped. I wasn’t going to be the one to go chasing thenm and I was able to get a lead ot the Elbow. I didn’t know where the loose horse was going yo go. He’s a really good horse. This lad wasn’t telling me not to ride him so I couldn’t not ride him. It’s right up there, in my sport it’s Grand Nationals and Gold Cups. I got em both.”

Iroko came in second, with Jordans in third and Johnnywho in fourth, High Class Hero in fifth. Paul Townend wins the Gold Cup and Grand National, and did it carrying top weight. More shades of Red Rum.

Jordans goes over the second last, and is chased to the elbow as I Am Maximus runs him down to regain the Grand National, the first to do so since Red Rum in 1977.

To Becher’s, Amirite and Top Of The Bill, a mistake by I Am Maximus. Over the Canal Turn there’s another mistake from I Am Maximus. Top Of The Bil, Imperial Saint and Monty’s Star, overtaken by Jordans under Ben Jones. He’s gone to the second last.

Banbridge went at the The Chair. Amirite continues to be up at the front, and I Am Maximus has had a quiet race, staying out of trouble. Amirite is briefly hampered, and Jagwar goes amid a few at the 20th fence.

Amirite and Top Of The Bill lead over the 12th. The Real Whacker is struggling out the back and is pulled up at the 13th. Johnnywho is the leading McManus horse. A loose horse may be a problem but runs out of the way.

Faller at the first! Grangeclare West unseats PW Mullins, last year’s winning jockey. Panic Attack goes at the third as Amirite is an early leader at 50/1. Mr Vango goes at Becher’s. Gerri Colombe unseats at the next.

I Am Maximus goes off favourite at 11-2, Panic Attack at 7-1. There is, as polymarkets would have predicted, a false start. They take a turn, and are asked for another, and to go back. But they’re off….

Will there be a false start? Odds-on, considering events at Cheltenham and jockeys’ haste to get decent position ahead of the first fence, which is not far away.

The bell rings, and the jockeys must now end their pre-race chat with the owners. JP McManus was swamped by green and gold shirts. Jockeys and horses head to the start.

I Am Maximus, now back as favourite, is the only previous winner in the field, with Nick Rockett absent. Some familiar colours in the field, those of Party Politics, the 1992 winner, and also Corbiere, the 1983 winner.

The jockeys enter the parade ring, and pose for the group photo. Soon it will be time to mount their horses. The green and gold of the JP team dominate, as does the starred colours of the Gigginstown Stud, run by the O’Leary family.

Nervous moments for all, not least for the sport as a whole. Friday’s death of Golden Star and that of Get On George earlier today have brought focus on to safety issues. This may be the biggest race of all but it can also shine an uncomfortable glare on the sport.

The Grand National horses are now in the parade ring, and the crowd are deep amid an outbreak of sun. Then we go to the National Anthem, sung by Laura Wright.

Briefly favourite, by the way, is Jagwar, ridden by Mark Walsh for JP McManus – has there been a JP plunge on the Greenall-Guerriero training partnership? I Am Maximus, the 2024 winner, has also been plunged on; that’s a JP horse, too. And trained by Willie Mullins. Grangeclare West, another Mullins horse, and ridden by PW Mullins, last year’s winning pilot, is third favourite. In fact, a great deal of flux at the top of the market.

Current Oddschecker odds: I Am Maximus 8-1, Jagwar 17-2, Panic Attack 10/1, Grangelclare West 10/1, Jonnywho 11/1, Montys Star 12/1, Oscars Brother 18/1 BAR

NB: Tom Bellamy replaces Kielan Woods on Marble Sands. Bellamy was set to ride Nick Rockett, only for the horse to cough and be ruled out.

Current odds for the 4.00 Aintree, Grand National, 4m2½f

• Panic Attack 13/2

• I Am Maximus 7/1

• Grangeclare West 5/2

• Jagwar 8/1

• Johnnywho 9/1

• Monty’s Star 11/1

• Iroko 12/1

• Oscars Brother 14/1

• Captain Cody 16/1

• Gorgeous Tom 18/1

• Haiti Couleurs 20/1

• Stellar Story 22/1

• Final Orders 22/1

• Champ Kiely 25/1

• Perceval Legallois 28/1

• Quai De Bourbon 28/1

• Twig 33/1

• Favori De Champdou 33/1

• Firefox 33/1

• Gerri Colombe 33/1

• Jordans 33/1

• Lecky Watson 40/1

• Spanish Harlem 40/1

• Beauport 40/1

• Top Of The Bill 40/1

• Imperial Saint 40/1

• The Real Whacker 50/1

• Amirite 50/1

• Mr Vango 50/1

• High Class Hero 50/1

• Three Card Brag 50/1

• Banbridge 50/1

• Marble Sands 66/1

• Answer To Kayf 80/1