THE 30 or more seconds that it took for Minella Times and Rachael Blackmore to cover the Aintree turf from the last fence to the Grand National winning post, to when commentator Stewart Machin called “History in the National” were close to the most joyous half-minute of jump racing I have ever watched.

Up there with Dawn Run and Desert Orchid’s Gold Cup, the two most emotional Gold Cups I have been privileged to see.