One For Arthur, ridden by Derek Fox and trained by Lucinda Russell, became only the second Scottish trained winner of the Randox Health Grand National at Aintree. Check out our race report, reaction and free video replay.
5.15 Aintree result - Randox Health Grand National
1st One For Arthur 14/1
2nd Cause Of Causes 16/1
3rd Saint Are 25/1
4th Blaklion 8/1 favourite
5th Gas Line Boy 50/1
Report
Scotland's long wait for a second Randox Health Grand National winner is over after One For Arthur provided trainer Lucinda Russell and jockey Derek Fox with a famous success.
Russell, ably assisted by former champion jockey Peter Scudamore at her Kinross base, finally laid the ghost to rest after a long wait since Rubstic's win in 1979.
Russell became the fourth woman to train the National winner after Jenny Pitman, Venetia Williams and Sue Smith. Scudamore, champion eight times in his career, famously never won the National (although father Michael did in 1959 aboard Oxo) but will take nearly as much pleasure out of this victory than many of his in the saddle.
Fox himself nearly missed the ride, only returning to action after a broken wrist earlier in the week, and the mount on One For Arthur was just his fifth since his return.
Winner of the Classic Chase at Warwick in January, perceived wisdom said the 14-1 winner needed soft ground to be at his best and Russell and Scudamore must have been the only ones at Aintree cursing the brilliant blue skies, which had dried the ground quickly.
In the rear early, Fox was content to bide his time on the outside and it was not until coming over Becher's Brook on the second circuit that he began to creep into contention.
Sweeping around the final bend on the outside, it looked like he had just joined in and he stayed on strongly to defeat Gordon Elliott's Cheltenham Festival winner Cause Of Causes by four and a half lengths.
Saint Are was placed in the race again for Tom George in third, with Blaklion, who appeared to be going great guns before tiring on the run-in, fourth and Gas Line Boy fifth.
The racecourse reported that all 40 horses returned safely.
A number of the riders, including Fox, were reported by the starter to have "approached the tape before the flag was raised".
The stewards forwarded the matter to the British Horseracing Authority for it to be considered at a later date.
Reaction
Derek Fox: "It's unbelievable. I can't believe it. He just jumped so well, even though he was a long way back. He never missed a fence, within reason. He was unbelievable. I was lucky to get back in time (from injury) - I want to thank Jack Berry House (rehabilitation centre in Malton). Without them I wouldn't have got back in time and I wouldn't have been as fit as I am.
"There were times early on I didn't think I'd make it, but there was never any danger of me not getting back on the horse if I was fit enough. I'll always be very grateful to Lucinda and the owners for that.
"Having Scu there is a massive advantage and he didn't fill my head with advice or anything, we didn't really talk about it until this morning. He's great for the little things."
Lucinda Russell: "What a day! We have a fantastic team behind us and I'm just so pleased. He's amazing. He's improved very time. I kept thinking barring accidents, he would win the National and he has! Together (Peter and I) we have had good and bad times but the horses are all back in form now. It's brilliant for Scotland. I said it's for Scotland, but it's really for the team and the yard. It's out of this world.
"It means everything. It's just incredible. I'm so proud of the horse. He jumped fantastic and Derek gave him a great ride. He's done us proud, he's done Scotland proud and he's done everyone at the yard proud. For a horse like that and a jockey like that what could be better? It's great to get these horses that finish strongly and I knew he would stay. It was a bit bold to say that, but we were right.
"It was funny, but everything has just gone so smoothly including winning the race. It is really dreamlike, but it's brilliant. We've got a fantastic team behind us and it's just great. I'm delighted Scu wore his dad's tie today. Without him I couldn't do it.
"He [One For Arthur] won't run again this season, I'm hoping Kelso will put an open handicap on in October then it will be the Becher and back to Warwick I'd imagine."
One For Arthur is owned by the Two Golf Widows, aka Deborah Thomson and Belinda McClung, and they were left in disbelief after watching their horse triumph by four and a half lengths.
Deborah Thomson: "I just can't believe it. It's been an absolutely amazing day. Arthur just cruised that race, Derek rode so well and I'm just a bit lost for words really. I just can't believe we've won the Grand National - it's fantastic. He's given us a fantastic journey."
Belinda McClung: "I thought this morning, it's baking hot so there's no pressure now, he's not going to win on that ground but I have to say he's just shown his class today. He's amazing and he got a great ride."
Peter Scudamore: "It's very satisfying. The horse looked well in the paddock. I felt we'd done everything we possibly could to get this horse here. I was worried about the ground. If you had said to me an hour before the race you can take him home now as the ground is too fast I would have put him in the lorry. It's lovely to give Derek the opportunity. He's a good horseman. Jack Berry House got him back. This is a great advert for them. They must be as delighted as I am that he's won. It's great thrill. I've got my dad's lucky tie on. I don't usually believe in those things, but there's obviously something in it."