Favourite Corach Rambler wins Aintree Grand National

Favourite Corach Rambler, ridden by Derek Fox, stormed to victory in a Grand National briefly delayed by animal rights protesters at Aintree.

The 8-1 shot, owned by a seven-member syndicate who bought him for £17,000 in 2020, soared over the last of the 30 jumps and bounded clear to victory down the home straight.

Vanillier (20-1) closed slightly before finishing second with Gaillard Du Mesnil (10-1) in third place and last year's winner Noble Yeats coming in fourth.

For winning jockey Fox it was his second victory in the iconic steeplechase and the second on a horse trained by Scotland's Lucinda Russell after winning six years ago on One For Arthur.

It came after he needed a late fitness test to even be declared fit enough to ride in the 175th staging of the world's most famous steeplechase with a winning pot of £500,000.

"He is just a phenomenal horse. I can't believe it. He normally gets his head up a wee bit but today he travelled everywhere," Fox told ITV.

"He is the cleverest horse. He is so intelligent."

Russell said her second National win as a trainer was "a bit different" and she had been in tears for most of the race.

"I was in tears as the tapes went up, I cried for most of the race and then as he started (to get into it) I realised he loved it," she said.

"He just loved the fences, he just loved everything about it. It's very personal this one... I'll always remember One for Arthur, he was a brilliant horse, but this is just very special."

Rachael Blackmore, who two years ago became the first female jockey to win the race, finished 17th on Aint That A Shame.

The start of the race, one of the highest-profile events in Britain's sporting calendar, was delayed for around 15 minutes after the protesters made their way on