The top weight jumped the final fence in second place but was never likely to catch the eventual winner and quickly weakened to finish seventh, 15¼ lengths off victory.

She was Dean Gallagher's third National ride but was outpaced in the early stages, struggling to keep in touch on the first circuit and was still well to the rear as the field took the Canal Turn for the second time.

[4] Country Member was the winner of the 1993 Agfa Diamond Chase before coming into the reckoning for the National as an 11/1 chance after winning the Horse & Hound Grand Military Cup at Sandown a month before the big race.

Eventual winner Royal Athlete was among those worthy of respect but considered out of form with Chatam, Riverside Boy, Romany King and Superior Finish, and was sent off at 40/1.

Jockey Jason Titley was among 12 riders making their race debut, including two future winners, Tony McCoy (on Chatam) and Mick Fitzgerald (on Tinryland).

[9] [20] The BBC covered the race live on television for the 36th consecutive year and it was broadcast as part of a Grandstand Grand National special, presented by Des Lynam with interviews on course from Julian Wilson.

Bill Smith conducted interviews in the saddling boxes and paddock in the build-up to the race, with analysis on the runners from Richard Pitman and Peter Scudamore.

The three-man commentary team was unchanged for the third consecutive year with John Hanmer, Jim McGrath and lead commentator Peter O'Sullevan.

Titley told the BBC after the race that the horse had been brilliant and only fiddled the last fence: "I never looked round but I could hear Party Politics' tube, but I thought keep going."

[23] Marcus Armytage later wrote of the race in his role as a Daily Telegraph journalist on the difficulties of guiding a top weighted Gold Cup winner to victory at Aintree: "I was riding Romany King, Kim Bailey's second string in that year's National.

At the third last, Master Oats' jockey, Norman Williamson, entertained hopes of winning, even though the tremendous gallop was beginning to take its toll on the horse's stamina.

But imagine his surprise as he began to push and shove on the long run to the second-last, when I came past him on Romany King, sitting motionless with a double handful trying to ration my petrol so that it lasted home.