RACING fans hoping for local success in the Grand National were left disappointed, after South Herefordshire hope Chambard was withdrawn injured on the morning of the race.

And there was more woe when the race started, as defending champion Corach Rambler - part-trained by Wye Valley-raised eight-time former champion jump jockey Peter Scudamore – then unseated his rider at the first.

One moment of joy at Aintree though saw 24-year-old 2009 100-1 winner Mon Mome, trained by Ross-on-Wye’s Venetia Williams, join the parade of champions again, happy to be back on the big stage.

Sadly, Venetia had already announced that 12-year-old Chambard - winner of the Becher Chase over the National fences under Lucy Turner last December - wouldn't be racing after being found lame.

But hopes were high that Corach Rambler could pull off a second successive National win after taking third in the Gold Cup a place ahead of Venetia's L'Homme Presse at Cheltenham last month.

The horse trained in Scotland by Lucinda Russell, which partner Peter rides daily in training, was heavily fancied to join the likes of Tiger Roll and the legendary Red Rum as a back-to-back winner.

Peter’s own father Michael won the National riding Oxo in 1959, but he himself had to wait until 2023 for his own taste of triumph, when Corach Rambler romped home.

But their hopes of a repeat success under Derek Fox were dashed at the very first fence, when the horse stumbled on landing throwing the jockey to the floor, with Willy Mullins' I Am Maximus going on to win.

On a happier note, Venetia posted footage of Mon Mome in the champions' parade, saying: "Twenty-four-year-old Mon Mome and 14-year-old Tiger Roll showing a clean pair of heels to the 27-year-old Silver Birch, 21-year-old Pineau de Re, and grey Nepute Collonges, and 11-year-old Minella Times at Aintree yesterday."

See the film on the @venetiawilliamsracing Instagram page.