THIS Grand National is one of the most open there has been in years. The weather in Aintree was beautiful yesterday, with a very big crowd on ladies day, and some of those ladies even wearing bikinis.

We’ve had a bit of an up and down week — highlighted by the contrasting fortunes of Bostons Angel in the Grade 1 Fort Leney Novices’ Chase and Saludos in the Grade 1 Bord Na Mona With Nature Novice Chase at Leopardstown earlier in the week.