The ten-year-old 16/1 shot Monty's Pass, ridden by Barry Geraghty and trained by Jimmy Mangan in Cork, Ireland, won the race by 12 lengths from the 2001 Welsh National winner Supreme Glory (40/1) in a time of 9 minutes 21.7 seconds.

Shotgun Willy was always towards the rear of the field and began to lose touch with the leaders early on the second circuit, pulling up after making a mistake at the 21st fence.

Ridden by champion jockey Tony McCoy, Iris Bleu made a series of mistakes and was pulled up lame before taking the water jump at the end of the first circuit.

Ad Hoc had been travelling well when brought down in the 2002 race, and was partnered by 1999 winning jockey Paul Carberry; the pair went off at a price of 9/1 and almost fell at the first fence.

Chives had run prominently in several major races, including finishing second in the 2002 Welsh National and seventh in the Cheltenham Gold Cup and was sent off at 10/1 in company with 1998 winning rider Richard Guest but also disappointed with mistakes before suffering injury at the 11th fence where he was pulled up.

At Beecher's Brook second time round Killusty fell in mid division and Burlu when behind for most of the race, while at the rear of the field the favourite Shotgun Willy pulled up as was Empereur River.

A group of Gunner Welburn, Monty's Pass, Amberleigh House and Montifault pulled away from Supreme Glory and the rest of the field as they crossed Melling Road to jump the final two fences.

Next to finish was Carberry Cross, Blowing Wind, Tremallt, Behrajan, Djeddah, Majed, Royal Predica and last to complete was Southern Star.

Winner Monty's Pass claimed a prize of £348,000, with £132,000 awarded to Supreme Glory in second, £66,000 for Amberleigh House in third, £30,000 for Gunner Welburn in fourth, £15,000 for Montifault in fifth, and £9,000 for sixth-placed Bindaree.

[5] The BBC retained the rights to broadcast the race on television and radio for the 44th consecutive year, in accordance with the Ofcom Code on Sports and Other Listed and Designated Events.

The show was presented by Clare Balding and Sue Barker while the commentary team was John Hanmer, Tony O'Hehir and Jim McGrath who called the winner home for the sixth year.

It was the last time that Hanmer commentated on a Grand National, having covered the portion from the Melling Road to the fourth and from the tenth to the Anchor Bridge crossing for thirty-two years.

Former Grand National riders Richard Pitman and Peter Scudamore also talked the viewers through an in-depth re-run of the race in slow motion.

BBC Radio also broadcast commentary of the race live for the 71st time on its Sport on Five programme, presented by Mark Pougatch and with Lee McKenzie calling the runners home.

John Cullen's debut ended at the first fence while Daniel Howard, Davy Russell, Alan Dempsey, Patrick Paihes and Larry McGrath also failed to get round.