TIME analysis is not going to add a whole lot to our understanding of a Randox Health Grand National at Aintree that scored highly on many counts, not least in terms of how it showcased Irish horses, trainers and jockeys.

It was the only race run over the unique course on the day and one of only three at the meeting, so a certain amount of guesswork is involved in determining how much the conditions slowed down the horses.

That they slowed the horses down quite a bit is reflected by the fact that the winning time of Tiger Roll, of 9m 40.2s, was the slowest in the Grand National since 2006 and nearly a minute outside the record achieved by Mr Frisk in 1990, when the race was run over slightly further. Then again, this was not 2001, when Red Marauder slogged home in 11 minutes flat!

However, those past Grand Nationals, especially the ones which have taken place since the start was moved forward by about half a furlong in 2013, do mean that we can determine whether or not this one was well-run. It was not.

More specifically, it was a few lengths ahead of par to first Becher’s, then dropped a dozen or so lengths behind mid-race and was as much as 20 lengths behind that benchmark at the Canal Turn for the final time before coming back quite quickly.

DUBIOUS STAYERS

That is not a way in which to run a fast time, and it helped a few dubious stayers to remain in contention longer than might have been the case.

The finishing speed of 108.7% of the average race speed was the fastest for at least a decade.

A small part of the longer-than-usual overall time was down to the runners going the long way round at second Becher’s. After adjustment for that, and consideration of the degree to which the National Course seemed to be slower than the Mildmay Course on the previous two days, I ended up with a timefigure on Tiger Roll of 145, with fast-finishing runner-up Pleasant Company (who carried 2lbs less) on 143.

This will not go down as a vintage Grand National-winning performance compared to the like of Many Clouds’ 165-rated success in 2015, but it was a pleasing one in many respects from a horse who has crammed an awful lot into his eight years to date.