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Guide to the Grand National

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National glory for McCoy

Tony McCoy won a thrilling renewal of the John Smith's Grand National at Aintree on Don't Push It.

Apalachi team thrilled with run

Connections of the placed horses in the John Smith's Grand National were delighted to have gone so close in the world's greatest steeplechase behind winner Don't Push It.

Johnson strikes with Dusk

Richard Johnson was given the perfect lift before his 11th-hour ride on Tricky Trickster in the Grand National when From Dawn To Dusk stayed on strongly to win the John Smith's Handicap Chase at Aintree.

Injured Walsh out of National

Ruby Walsh is to miss the ride on John Smith's Grand National favourite Big Fella Thanks after a crunching fall in the Grade One hurdle earlier on the card. Barry Geraghty takes over.

Kim captures Aintree prize

Khyber Kim franked the form of the Champion Hurdle with a superb victory in the John Smith's Dick Francis Aintree Hurdle.

Mighty Maghull show from Tat

Tataniano ran out a very impressive winner of the John Smith's Maghull Novices' Chase at Aintree for the Paul Nicholls team.

Cross enjoys Mersey cruise

Donald McCain's Peddlers Cross maintained his unbeaten record with an impressive display in the John Smith's Mersey Novices' Hurdle at Aintree.

Alliance team living dream

Dream Alliance's 'story' would take some beating should he strike gold in the John Smith's Grand National at Aintree.

Mome cuts mustard for Coleman

Aidan Coleman is counting down the hours until what he hopes will be the ride of his life on Mon Mome in the John Smith's Grand National.

Holland 'better than ever'

Irish raiders have a great recent record in the John Smith's Grand National and Colin McBratney's Ballyholland is a leading hope this year.

Loughran steps in for Vic in National

Roger Loughran will take the plum spare ride on Vic Venturi in the John Smith's Grand National after Paddy Flood suffered a broken collarbone.

McCain: Cross in tremendous nick

Donald McCain is confident Peddlers Cross will not suffer the dreaded 'bounce factor' in the John Smith's Mersey Novices' Hurdle at Aintree tomorrow.

Trip key for Zaynar - Henderson

Nicky Henderson feels the return to two and a half miles will suit Zaynar down to the ground in the John Smith's Dick Francis Aintree Hurdle.

Nicholls vies to end National jinx

Paul Nicholls will bid to right one of the very few wrongs on his otherwise-glittering CV tomorrow when he saddles four runners in the John Smith's Grand National.

Johnson duo to get right ground

David Johnson believes conditions should be ideal for his two John Smith's Grand National contenders, 2008 winner Comply Or Die and young pretender The Package.

Holland leads Irish hopes

Irish raiders have a great recent record in the John Smith's Grand National, and chief hope among them this year is Colin McBratney's Ballyholland.

Trip 'no worry' for Kim

Nigel Twiston-Davies is confident the step up to two and a half miles will not inconvenience Khyber Kim in the John Smith's Dick Francis Aintree Hurdle tomorrow

Findlay gives thanks for Big Fella

Big Fella Thanks will be out to do justice to his greyhound namesake when Harry Findlay's eight-year-old lines up as the favourite in the John Smith's Grand National at Aintree tomorrow.

Prince picks up Grade One prize

Wayward Prince reeled in the front-running Western Leader to take the Grade One John Smith's Sefton Novices' Hurdle at Aintree for the Ian Williams stable.

Bowen ace always waining

Always Waining ran away with an incident-packed renewal of the John Smith's Topham Chase over the National fences at Aintree.

McCoy has rivals on the run

Ryanair Chase hero Albertas Run was given a typically power-packed ride by Tony McCoy to land the John Smith's Melling Chase at Aintree.

Burton blasts out victory

Burton Port defied a big drift in the market to run out an impressive winner of the matalan.co.uk Mildmay Novices' Chase at Aintree, completing a double for Nicky Henderson following General Miller's success.

Miller time at Aintree

Nicky Henderson's General Miller wore down hot favourite Menorah to take top honours in the John Smith's Top Novices' Hurdle at Aintree.

Hughes firing both barrels

Dessie Hughes believes he has two good chances of winning as he heads into the John Smith's Grand National tomorrow.

Commander in good shape after defeat

Nigel Twiston-Davies reports Imperial Commander to be none the worse following his disappointing effort in the totesport Bowl at Aintree yesterday.

National duo replaced

Mr Pointment and Abbeybraney have been declared non-runners for the John Smith's Grand National, paving the way clear for Cerium and Royal Rosa to run in the race.

Coleman confident of Mome ride

Aidan Coleman is confident of passing the doctor at Aintree and believes there will be no chance of him missing the ride on reigning champion Mon Mome in the John Smith's Grand National on Saturday.

Max switches on Manifesto power

Mad Max (4-1) atoned for an unlucky run at Cheltenham with a classy victory in the totepool Manifesto Novices' Chase at Aintree.

Silver sparkles over big fences

Silver Adonis put in a spring-heeled performance to win Aintree's John Smith's Fox Hunters' Chase and cause a 50-1 upset in the process.

McCoy pushing to end National hex

Tony McCoy has decided to ride Don't Push It as he bids to win the John Smith's Grand National for the first time at the 15th attempt.

What a result for Fergie

What A Friend won an incident-packed renewal of the totesport Bowl at Aintree to give part-owner Sir Alex Ferguson some compensation for Manchester United's elimination from the Champions League on Wednesday.

Smith ace springs Anniversary suprise

There was a major shock in the Grade One Matalan Anniversary 4-Y-O Novices' Hurdle at Aintree when 40-1 chance Orsippus floored some better-fancied rivals.

Big result for Buck's

Big Buck's (30-100 favourite) stretched his unbeaten record over timber to eight with victory in the BGC Partners Liverpool Hurdle at Aintree.

Melling perfect for Pady

Tom Cooper feels two and a half miles on a flat track will be ideal for Forpadydeplasterer in the John Smith's Melling Chase at Aintree.

Poq primed for red-hot Melling

Paul Nicholls believes Poquelin will be lining up in one of the best races of the season when he tackles Friday's John Smith's Melling Chase at Aintree.

Eight line up for Aintree Hurdle

Champion Hurdle runner-up Khyber Kim gets the chance to return to winning ways in Saturday's John Smith's Dick Francis Aintree Hurdle.

Big guns hold sway for National

Past winners Mon Mome (2009) and Comply Or Die (2008) are among a maximum field of 40 declared for the John Smith's Grand National at Aintree on Saturday.

Carberry given Character ride

Nina Carberry has been selected to ride Character Building in Saturday's John Smith's Grand National.

No track fears for Commander

Nigel Twiston-Davies has no fears about the track as his Cheltenham Gold Cup hero Imperial Commander bids to follow up in the totesport Bowl at Aintree on Thursday.

Bad timing for Rupert camp

Paul Nicholls shares in the general disappointment of Time For Rupert's defection from Thursday's BGC Partners Liverpool Hurdle at Aintree.

Murphy stays loyal to Comply Or Die

Timmy Murphy will partner Comply Or Die in the John Smith's Grand National at Aintree on Saturday.

Murphy praying for Cerium run

Paul Murphy is praying Cerium makes the final cut for the John Smith's Grand National at Aintree on Saturday.

Rupert misses Aintree date

Paul Webber's Time For Rupert will not be taking up his engagement in the BGC Partners Liverpool Hurdle at Aintree on Thursday after scoping dirty.

Big step up for Nafaath

Howard Johnson is looking forward to seeing how Nafaath gets on as he tackles Grade One company for the first time in the Matalan Anniversary 4-Y-O Novices' Hurdle at Aintree.

Albertas running for more glory

Ryanair Chase hero Albertas Run will face 10 rivals in the John Smith's Melling Chase at Aintree on Friday.

Casey all set for Snowy ride

David Casey has been cleared to ride in the John Smith's Grand National on Saturday despite taking a bad fall at Fairyhouse on Monday.

Buck's takes on Liverpool eight

Big Buck's will face eight rivals as he bids to secure back-to-back victories in Thursday's BGC Partners Liverpool Hurdle.

Madison on National service

The weights for Saturday's John Smith's Grand National will remain the same after connections of Madison Du Berlais revealed he will take his chance under the welter burden of 11st 10lb.

Imperial features in five-star Bowl

Cheltenham Gold Cup hero Imperial Commander will face just four rivals in the totesport Bowl at Aintree on Thursday.

Murphy delays National decision

Timmy Murphy has not yet made the choice between riding The Package or Comply Or Die in Saturday's John Smith's Grand National.

Thomas to miss Aintree

Sam Thomas is taking a holiday in South Africa after deciding he needed more time to recover from the injuries he sustained on the gallops.

Commander set for Aintree raid

Imperial Commander has been given the go-ahead to run in the totesport Bowl at Aintree on Thursday.

Back team hoping for fairy tale

Connections of Backstage would love to see drying ground at Aintree this week ahead of Saturday's John Smith's Grand National.

Building bids for Aintree glory

John Quinn's Character Building will be carrying new colours in the John Smith's Grand National on Saturday after being purchased by David and Patricia Thompson, the owners of Cheveley Park Stud.

No trip qualms for Zaynar

Nicky Henderson believes the step up to two and a half miles will ideally suit Zaynar in the John Smith's Dick Francis Aintree Hurdle on Saturday.

Sixty-five remain in National hunt

Madison Du Berlais heads 65 entries for Saturday's John Smith's Grand National following the confirmation stage.

Leader heads for Sefton

Western Leader is one of 24 entries for the Grade One John Smith's Sefton Novices' Hurdle at Aintree on Friday.

Walsh hoping National has left no scar

Ruby Walsh is hoping Big Fella Thanks' previous run in the John Smith's Grand National will not have an adverse effect on his prospects when he returns to Aintree on Saturday.

Hot cross booked for Aintree

Peddlers Cross is on course to follow up his Cheltenham Festival success at Aintree on Saturday.

McBratney bullish over Bally

Colin McBratney has high hopes for Ballyholland in the John Smith's Grand National - as long as conditions improve at Aintree by next weekend.

Pady in Melling mix

Forpadydeplasterer, runner-up in the Queen Mother Champion Chase, may try to go one better in the John Smith's Melling Chase at Aintree on Friday.

Buck's among Liverpool nine

Champion stayer Big Buck's heads nine entries for the BGC Partners Liverpool Hurdle at Aintree on Thursday after the race was re-opened.

McCoy sways towards Push It

Tony McCoy is leaning towards riding Don't Push It in the John Smith's Grand National.

Drier times ahead for Aintree

Conditions could be set fair for the John Smith's Grand National with no rain forecast for the second half of next week.

Commander sets sights on Aintree

Cheltenham Gold Cup hero Imperial Commander heads 13 entries for the Totesport Bowl at Aintree on Thursday.

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National ClassicsContent by the BBC

COMPLY OR DIE (2008)
Owner David Johnson had endured desperate luck in the Grand National for the past decade, but all that ended as Comply Or Die carried his green and blue silks home in front under Timmy Murphy to record an impressive win for trainer David Pipe.
Courtesy of BBC Sport.
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