The 2008 Grand National took place at Aintree Racecourse in England, on 5 April 2008 and offer combined prize money of around £450,000, a marked drop from previous years.

The 2008 Grand National winner was the longstanding joint-favorite Comply or Die, ridden by gifted and success-focused Irish jockey – Timmy Murphy. Murphy was well known for wanting a National win and so winning here was the realisation of a dream.

Timmy Murphy finihed the race four lengths ahead of the hotly pursuing King John’s Castle who finished second, and the similarly unrelenting chaser – Snowing Morning steered by David Casey. The first three slots were thus occupied by Comply or Die/Timmy Murphy, Kings John’s Castle/ Paul Carberry, Snowy Morning/David Casey.

Timmy Murphy’s victorious horse was owned by David Johnson, a prominent English stable owner and equestrian investor. The trainer was David Pipe.

Most interestingly a total of three riders were marking their thirteenth run. These included Mick Fitzgerald who had won the same title in 1996 riding Rough Quest, Paul Carberry who had achieved top honors in 1999 atop Bobbyjo and also the trailblazing racetrack sensation Tony McCoy.

Richard Dunwoody, a once terrific racer himself, acted as the guest presenter for the BBC coverage. Jim McGrath, the profoundly skilled and experienced veteran commentator wowed millions of anxious watchers, as his trademark thundering beckoned the winner home – for the eleventh consecutive Grand National.

The 2007 Grand National steeplechase was the 160th formal repeat of this globally followed event. As usual it was held at the Aintree racecourse in the UK and this year attracted 70,000+ to the racecourse.

The race was won by the 33/1 shot Silver Birch ridden by the inimitable Robbie Power. £400,000 of the £700,000 prize money went to the winner. It’s a substantial win for a horse that won by 3/4 of a length.

The 2007 Grand National registered a few letdowns such as when initially promising stars such as the 8/1 joint-favorite Point Barrow fizzled out at the 1st fence. Other notable occupiers of the top 7 places included McKelvery, Slim Pickings, Philson Run, Libertine, Numbersixvalveverde, and Longshanks. There’s certainly a few surprises

The owner – trainer – winner combo was one of the youngest in history (Jockey Robbie Power was 25, the trainer was the youngest in the race and so on) , but it mattered not a jot. ‘Older and wiser’ doesn’t always win the day.