Grand National Story 2008

This was a strength in depth line-up, with the entire field in the handicap proper. It was won quite cosily by the 7-1 joint-favorite in the Grand National betting, Comply Or Die. It was trainer David Pipe and jockey Timmy Murphy's first Grand National triumph.

Unsurprisingly the result was a bad one for the bookmakers as Comply Or Die had been the most heavily backed runner in the Grand National betting in the final days before the race.

The Eider Chase winner Comply Or Die outstayed the entire field with JP McManus's King Johns Castle a creditable second.

Going to the final fence there were three in with every chance. Snowy Morning fluffed his lines with a final fence error and it was King Johns Castle who looked for a moment as if he might go by Comply Or Die. However the winner had plenty in the tank when Timmy Murphy got after him on the long steep run to the line.

Blinkered horses have a poor record in the Grand National but Comply Or Die did not know that statistic and became only the second blinkered animal to prevail since '75.

Snowy Morning and the valiant Slim Pickings, third last year, will be targeted at next year's Grand National, after admirable runs in defeat.

The other 7-1 joint-favourite, Cloudy Lane, could never land a blow with the leaders and ultimately ran worse than connections had expected.

The strongly-fancied Butler's Cabin continued jockey Tony McCoy's dismal luck in the Grand National when he fell at Becher's second time around while holding every chance. Simon, another fancied runner, unseated his rider at Valentine's second time after running prominently, albeit wide, for most of the way. He was not a totally spent force but would not have won.

McKelvey was the only casualty of the race. His rider fell off and McKelvey, who had come second in 2007, was destroyed after a collision with a running rail while loose.

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