“It’s a wonderful day. I’ve been watching the National since I was a very young boy,” said the coolest jockey at Aintree after riding Pineau de Re to victory in the most famous race on earth.
According to Aspell the 25-1 shot is “a small horse, so he finds jumping hard enough”.
But the 11-year-old jumped the final fence with a clear lead – and the rest of the pack never looked like bridging the gap.
Balthazar King finished second, ahead of champion jockey Tony McCoy aboard Double Seven.
Alvarado stayed on from a long way back to finish fourth.
Only eighteen horses finished but none needed veterinary care – and no jockeys were hospitalised.