down to joint-favourite until shortly before the start, before being sent off at 8/1. The partnership was a distant last of seven runners still standing four fences from home when he refused. Samlee was a nine-year-old who came to prominence after winning the Becher Chase over one circuit of the Aintree Grand National course in November, having been second in the Scottish Grand National earlier in the year. Another victory in a modest 3 mile 6 furlong chase at Sandown followed in December before finishing third to Earth Summit in the Welsh National and third again in the Eider Chase at Newcastle in February. Two-time winning rider Richard Dunwoody, who was also the most experienced rider in this year's contest, took the ride with the pairing sent off as 8/1 joint-second favourite. Samlee was in touch for a circuit and a half, jumped the Canal Turn in fifth place, and although his position improved to third after two of those ahead of him fell he was unable to make any headway on the two leaders and was a distance behind them turning back onto the racecourse before being nursed home in third place. Rough Quest was the only former winner in the field, having won the race with Mick Fitzgerald in 1996. This season he had been second in the Tommy Whittle Chase at Haydock in December before finishing third in the King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day behind Challenger Du Luc. A fall in the Cheltenham Gold Cup 16 days before the National did not deter the public from making him the favourite on the morning of the race before drifting to 11/1 at the off. Fitzgerald again took the ride but the ground was always against the former champion who began to struggle at the Canal Turn on the second circuit before being pulled up four fences from home when lying a distant sixth. Suny Bay was a grey that had finished second in the previous year's National. Since then he had won both the Edward Hanmer Memorial Chase and Hennessy Gold Cup at Haydock and Newbury respectively in November before running unplaced in the King George VI Chase and Cheltenham Gold Cup. Despite being allocated the 12 stone top handicap weight for the National he was still backed down to 11/1 at the off. Graham Bradley took the ride and the pair ran prominently