The race was won in a time of 10 minutes and 51.5 seconds and by a distance of 11 lengths by the 7/1 favourite Earth Summit, ridden by jockey Carl Llewellyn.

1992 National winning rider Carl Llewellyn deputised for the injured Tom Jenks, keeping the horse prominent on the first circuit, taking the water jump in sixth place.

The favourite moved up to dispute the lead five fences from home and was involved in a straight match with Suny Bay from the third-last before kicking ahead just before the final flight to win a gruelling race by 11 lengths.

[4][5] Him Of Praise was thought to prefer soft ground and a combination of the rain and his partnership with Irish Champion jockey Charlie Swan saw him backed down to joint-favourite until shortly before the start, before being sent off at 8/1.

A fall in the Cheltenham Gold Cup 16 days before the National did not deter the public from making him the favourite on the morning of the race before drifting to 11/1 at the off.

Fitzgerald again took the ride but the ground was always against the former champion who began to struggle at the Canal Turn on the second circuit before being pulled up four fences from home when lying a distant sixth.

Graham Bradley took the ride and the pair ran prominently throughout and pulled clear of the remainder of the field with three fences left to jump to enter a match with Earth Summit.

Richard Pitman and Peter Scudamore provided in-depth analysis of all the races on the card with a detailed preview and re-run of the National itself.

John Hanmer became the senior member of the team, covering the runners over the early fences and coming back towards the racecourse for the 27th consecutive year.

After the bomb scare of 1997, security was tighter at the 1998 National than at any meeting before or since while only a limited number of vehicles with a special permit were allowed inside the racecourse.