JOCKEY Denis O'Regan admitted the Aintree ground conditions had played a big part in Conkwell Grange-trained horse The Druids Nephew pulling up in today's Crabbie's Grand National.
O'Regan ended the challenge of the horse, trained by Neil Mulholland, nine fences from home as 33-1 shot Rule The World showed his battling qualities when ploughing through the rain-softened conditions to win from The Last Samuri and Vics Canvas.
O'Regan said: "I had a super ride but he (The Druids Nephew) just didn't go on the ground."
Steadily working his way through the field, Rule The World was sitting a close third as The Last Samuri and Vics Canvas jumped the last together.
The Last Samuri battled on at the elbow but could not quite hold off the strong-finishing Mouse Morris-trained nine-year-old, who was remarkably winning for the first time over fences.
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