THE eyes of the horse racing world turned to Aintree for the Randox Grand National weekend last week.

Navajo Pass, trained by Donald McCain from Cholmondeley near Whitchurch, contributed to the action with jockey Theo Gillard.

Horses, owners, trainers and jockeys from across the planet made the pilgrimage to the Liverpool racecourse for a action packed three day programme of races, culminating in the world's greatest steeplechase.

Since 1839, this race has captured the hearts of people all over.

The race has long been a national institution with a global audience of more than 500 million people in more than 140 countries, making Aintree’s one of, if not the, most famous turfs in the world.

As part of the programme the 20 Years Together, Alder Hey & Aintree Handicap Hurdle was contested on Friday afternoon - among them was six-year-old Navajo Pass.

The north Shropshire trained horse, owned by TG Leslie, has had a solid start to his racing career, winning 10 of 38 races.

However it was not to be with the 33/1 outsider competing well until falling on the seventh hurdle, ending his race which was won by Langer Dan.

Meanwhile the main event was held the following day with Sam Waley-Cohen and Noble Yeats galloping to an unexpected success in the 2022 Randox Grand National.

The seven-year-old, trained in County Carlow by Emmet Mullins, started at 50-1 for the Aintree showpiece as punters found more appeal in the chances of Ted Walsh’s Any Second Now, Charlie Longsdon’s Snow Leopardess and last year’s hero Minella Times, the mount of Rachael Blackmore.