IT IS once again that time of year when the nation stops and the Grand National takes centre stage on the sporting stage and indeed the news front.

Forget the Premier League title race or that absorbing confrontation at the top of the Championship — well at least for 10 minutes or so — Aintree is the place to focus on as we all have a wee flutter on the world’s greatest race.

This year’s event though is going to be slightly different from previous renewals with the shorter run to the first fence, so the velocity of the runners is controlled and the fact that only 34 will now go to post instead of 40.