Favourite Hometown Boy takes big field Aintree opener

To be fair this was a long-term (plan). We wanted to come here, but wanted a prep run so went to Kempton beforehand. It was a bit of a gamble as he was also in over two and a half-miles, but we thought there were one or two more speedier types in there. He galloped through the line, though, and he couldn’t pull him up. I couldn’t repeat what I was thinking at the last! If he was a tired horse his legs would have gone to jelly.

My Drogo lives up to his billing

It’s a little bit of a relief. I felt coming here it was nearly his race to lose given the prep he’d had, missing Cheltenham — it’s such an advantage here. We’d always planned to come straight here. To give away a penalty at Kelso, and that form has stood up, gave an indication of what was possible. It’s very exciting to be involved with a horse like him, he’s got it all. The plan was always to go chasing next year, despite the lure of better hurdles. Given his breeding, size and the way he jumps it’s now or never if we want to make him a top-class chaser. For a moment today I was worried we’d run him in the wrong race given how well he was going, but I always felt he’d get two and a half miles. We want to make him a staying chaser — next year he’ll start over shorter, but ultimately he’ll be a staying chaser.

Shishkin gets it done at Liverpool

It’s always difficult after Cheltenham to know how much to do with them. Obviously they are fit, but the team have done great because they came here in pretty good nick. Both are very good novices though, they’ve had pretty nearly perfect seasons. Nico said he could have done with a lead for longer. Gumball usually goes a solid gallop, but he didn’t today. He’s a very laid-back horse and at home you don’t see the speed you see on track. He’s got a wonderful temperament and I suspect he was just getting lonely. Fair play to the second, though. It’s amazing how quick he gets to the other side of a fence, it’s a very effective technique but it is a bit unusual. He won’t go to Punchestown, doing the two is difficult, doing the three, you need to be Sprinter or something, who did it one year. You’d like to think it will be the normal two-mile route next year, and I’d like to think Altior is at Sandown in two weeks. If they meet next year, they have to meet. It’s amazing we’ve gone from Sprinter to Altior and this lad is going the right way the whole time.

Thrilling Stayers Hurdle goes the way of Thyme Hill

I should think he’s finished for the season, but the entries closed this week for the stayers’ hurdle in Punchestown. We didn’t enter. It was 1200 euros. We thought why waste that when it’s likely he’s not going to run. If he is going to go anywhere he’ll go for the Champion Hurdle in Auteuil at the end of May, which is worth more money anyway. Whether he stays over hurdles or goes chasing next season was going to be decided on what happened today so we now need to discuss it. He’s schooled over fences and jumps very well. He’s not the biggest horse in the world, but he will definitely jump fences, although while he looks the best in this league he might stay over hurdles.

Cheltenham 2nd placer Happy steps up a place at Liverpool

We were beaten fair and square at Cheltenham by a revitalised horse, but we were staggered we did get beat. That was a great performance today. He’s a novice, but he’s very professional. I think we’ll be limited in terms of options for the rest of this season, but we are running out of time, it will be nice if he can come back here this time next year (for the National). He jumps so well and seems to stay, (but) I think you could run over shorter on softer ground. To start off next year there are the early races at Cheltenham, but if it’s soft we could think of the Paddy Power, maybe the Ladbrokes Trophy.

Blackmore makes history in Grand National

I got a fantastic passage the whole way. Minella Times was unbelievable, he jumped fantastic, I don’t think he missed a beat anywhere. He was able to travel into a gap, I seemed to have loads of space everywhere and you couldn’t have wished for a better passage. He was just unbelievable, he really was, his jumping was second to none. I’m so lucky to be riding these horses for Henry de Bromhead. He trained a one-two there which is incredible. That can’t be forgotten in the whole scheme of things. It’s great to win it in these colours, too. It’s always a privilege to ride for JP McManus and to win it for him is unbelievable. They’ve had a tough year so hopefully this can make things a little easier. This is a massive deal for me personally, not the fact I’m a female. The thing that hit me when I crossed the line was that I’d won the National, not that I’m the first female to win the National. I’m just delighted. I don’t feel male or female right now — I don’t even feel human. This is just unbelievable. It’s fantastic. Rachael is breaking all records. We’re just delighted. Balko Des Flos ran a cracker and Chris’s Dream was going very well, but unfortunately he unshipped Darragh O’Keeffe four out. They all ran really well. It looked like Rachael had the race won at the last, but we all know how that can change. Any Second Now looked a bit unlucky with his passage and he sta

Megan Nicholls lands Aintree bumper on Knappers Hill