THE annual parade of former Grand National winners is always well received and 10 of them took part on Saturday, led by the 2002 winner Bindaree who enjoys his retirement at trainer Nigel Twiston-Davies’s yard in Gloucestershire. He was followed in the ring by an excited Amberleigh House, who won in 2004 for the legendary Ginger McCain.

First of the Irish-trained winners was Hedgehunter who gave Willie Mullins victory in the 2005 race. He lives at his owner Trevor Hemmings’ stud on the Isle of Man with another winner, Donald McCain’s 2011 hero Ballabriggs who was also in the parade. The pair are inseparable.

A decade ago Silver Birch’s 2007 triumph put Gordon Elliott on the map. The gelding spends his retirement at his owner Brian Walsh’s home in County Kildare, but returns to Elliott’s yard annually to prepare for this parade. Don’t Push It was back at the scene of his 2010 triumph. He lives at owner J P McManus’s stud, Martinstown, in County Limerick.

The nearly white Neptune Collonges walked round the parade ring as quiet as a lamb and the Paul Nicholls-trained 2012 Grand National hero is used to making public appearances. A day earlier he visited the patients at Liverpool’s Alder Hey Children’s Hospital.

The 2013 winner Aurora’s Encore still resides at his trainer Sue Smith’s yard, while Pineau De Re, who took the 2014 Grand National for trainer Dr Richard Newland, has an active post-racing life, hunting and doing some dressage and showjumping. He also did a publicity shoot for the British Open Golf Championship.

Finally we had the 2016 winner Rule The World, a third Irish-trained winner on parade. He lives at Michael O’Leary’s Gigginstown House Stud but rejoined trainer Mouse Morris to prepare for his Aintree date.