THERE have been three Aintree Grand Nationals run now since they softened the bellies of the fences, moved the start to the far side of the Melling Road and decided that, actually, it was a four-and-a-quarter-mile race, not a four-and-a-half-mile race at all.

Three is a small sample size, but there is little doubting that the National is at least a slightly different race now to the race that it used to be, so it is worthwhile having a look at those three renewals and trying to glean what you can from them.