NATIONAL HISTORY? AIN’T IT INCREDIBLE

IN 2022, the crowds will be back and the Randox Grand National will return to normal. Or whatever passes for normal in the history of a race that stands alone.

In reality, there is no such thing. All Nationals are extraordinary — some are simply more so than others.

In 1967, Popham Down who had unseated jockey Macer Gifford at the first fence, caused chaos when ducking to his right across the 23rd obstacle, at 4ft 6in the smallest on the course.

It now bears the name of the only horse who escaped the trouble to score at 100-1 — Foinavon.

Tipperary Tim was another 100-1 outsider in 1928. Before the start, jockey William Dutton heard a friend shout: “Billy boy, you’ll only win if the others fall down!”

They did fall down, leaving Dutton and Tipperary Tip to beat the only other finisher, the remounted Billy Barton.

Rubio, who triumphed at 66-1 in 1908, once broke down so badly that he found alternative employment pulling the guests’ bus of what is now the Saracen’s Head in Towcester.

But the horse foaled in California returned to training and became the first American-bred National winner.

The National routinely throws up inspirational stories of humans and equines, from three-time hero Red Rum (1973, 1974 & 1977) to Bob Champion (below), who beat cancer, rode Aldaniti to success in 1981 and then raised millions for charity.

In 1993, a false start began ‘the National that never was’ — ‘won’ by John White aboard Esha Ness — four years before an IRA bomb scare triggered the evacuation of Aintree. The 36 runners were stabled at the track, where the Monday National went to Steve Brookshaw’s Lord Gyllene.

Devon Loch had the 1956 race at his mercy under Dick Francis, but buckled yards from the line, handing victory to E.S.B. “That’s racing,” said Devon Loch’s owner, the Queen Mother.

Little wonder the National obsessed a certain Beltrán Alfonso Osorio y Díez de Rivera, AKA the 18th Duke of Alburquerque, who holds the record for the number of bones broken in pursuit of Aintree glory.

Moifaa was said to have survived a shipwreck before coming home in front, but the tale proved to be fiction.

Definitely made up, by Enid Bagnold in her 1935 novel National Velvet, was the win of The Piebald and 14-year-old

Velvet Brown, before the pair were disqualified by killjoy stewards.

Some things never change. Enjoy the new normal.

SHOCK Foinavon after his amazing 1967 National win