[1] Sacred Path had been off the racecourse for fourteen months prior to a win at Warwick in March, which led him to be backed down to 17/2 favourite at the off despite the relative inexperience of his jockey, Clive Cox.

Early on the second circuit it became clear that the pace was telling as Lean Ar Aghaidh began to drop back through the field.

West Tip was by now an old favourite with the public, having won the race in 1986 and finishing fourth in 1987 and was partnered, as for his three previous appearances, by Richard Dunwoody.

West Tip was among the leading quartet at the Anchor Bridge crossing but rapidly came under pressure and was beaten by the penultimate fence, holding off a late challenge from Attitude Adjuster to retain fourth place to the finish.

Peter Hobbs broke a stirrup leather at the fourth fence on the former and almost carried out Course Hunter before finally regaining enough control to pull You're Welcome up before Becher's first time.

The BBC broadcast the race live on television for the twenty-ninth consecutive year as part of its regular Saturday afternoon Grandstand programme, in a Grand National special.

Commentary on the race itself, for the seventeenth consecutive year was provided by John Hanmer, Julian Wilson and lead commentator, Peter O'Sullevan who was calling his forty-third Grand National on Television and prior to that, Radio.

All of the leading United Kingdom daily newspapers carried multi-page Grand National special pull outs and colour guides.