NEPTUNE COLLONGES became the first grey in 51 years to win the Grand National in the closest-ever finish to the big race at Aintree.
The 33/1 shot, ridden by Daryl Jacobs, won by nothing more than a nostril from Sunnyhillboy to give trainer Paul Nicholls his first ever victory in the race.
But the National was again marred by the death of at least two of the 40 entrants as Synchronised and According To Pete both fell fatally at Becher's Brook on separate circuits.
Even before it all began, there had been drama as Ruby Walsh - set to ride On His Own - injured himself on the day for a second successive year after falling in the Aintree Hurdle.
Then, immediately before the start, Synchronised unseated jockey Tony McCoy and escaped his rider before being brought under control.
There was still time for problems with the tape and a couple of false starts before they all got away on the third occasion.
But the race did not last very long for Viking Blond, who fell at the first, or the more-fancied Junior and West End Rocker, who both fell at the second.
Sunnyhillboy, Seabass and Shakalakaboomboom held the early initiative as State of Play, Chicago Grey and Rare Bob failed to make it past the fifth.
And then, at the sixth, the daunting Becher's Brook, this year's Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Synchronised so sadly made his last ever jump.
Alfa Beat fell at the next obstacle, Foinavon, before last year's runner-up Black Apalachi could not make it past the Canal Turn along with four other horses who all unseated their riders.
Next to fall was Treacle at the 10th where Arbor Supreme also unseated his rider - and then, at the 11th, the well-backed Giles Cross became the first to be pulled up.
As they crossed the Melling Road, Planet of Sound was setting the pace while Always Right only just failed to make it around the first circuit after he unseated his rider at the Chair.
Heading into the second lap, Planet of Sound was looking solid and had stretched his lead to three lengths. Meanwhile Quiscover Fontaine fell at the 17th before, at the 19th, Vic Venturi refused and the struggling Deep Purple was pulled up.
Then came Becher's for a second time and it sadly proved terminal for the unfortunate According to Pete who was destroyed after the race having been brought down.
Becher's was also where the race ended for On His Own, with replacement jockey Paul Townend, while Mon Mome and Postmaster were both pulled up.
But, despite the thinning of the field, it was clear as we reached the closing stages that this was going to be a classic.
There were no fewer than eight horses in with a shout with Shakalakaboomboom just edging Seabass as they approached the penultimate fence.
Seabass, ridden by Katie Walsh - who was hoping to become the first ever female jockey to win the National - then jumped into the lead as Shakalakaboomboom faded.
But Walsh's dreams were crushed when Sunnyhillboy jumped best at the last and took up the front as they headed for the winning post.
All of a sudden, Seabass was heading backwards into third but it could never be said that Sunnyhillboy had it in the bag once Neptune Collonges had responded in the chase.
Instead, a stronger finish and a stretch for the line meant it was Neptune Collonges who narrowly got his nose over first and thus broke the hoodoo over grey horses which had lasted since Nicolaus Silver won in 1961.
This was perhaps the best finish which the Grand National had ever seen - it was certainly the tighest and such a brilliant way for the BBC to finish the coverage of the race.
Nevertheless, the decision to give up the rights to Channel 4 now looks even more foolhardy in the light of this dramatic finale.
At least, the loss of the National saves the BBC from being associated with what is becoming an increasingly controversial event.
For, the other headline to come out of today was that Synchronised and According to Pete have now joined Ornais and Dooneys Gate from last year in dying during the race.
Three of the four fatalities occurred at Becher's Brook and certainly still more needs to be done about that fence. A reduction in the number of runners would also help to avoid horses being brought down accidentally.
Of course, further alterations will not eliminate the risk in a steeplechase completely.
But, at the moment, the hazardous nature of the Grand National means it still too often resembles a death trap than the spectacle which it really should be.
FULL GRAND NATIONAL RESULT
Going: Good, good to soft in places.
4m 4f. All 40 ran.
1st Neptune Collonges 33/1
2nd Sunnyhillboy 16/1
3rd Seabass 8/1 joint fav
4th Cappa Bleu 16/1
5th In Compliance 100/1
Other finishers: 6th Ballabriggs, 7th Hello Bud, 8th Tharawaat, 9th Shakalakaboomboom, 10th Swing Bill, 11th The Midnight Club, 12th Planet of Sound, 13th Neptune Equester, 14th Calgary Bay, 15th Midnight Haze
Failed to finish:
Fence 1 Viking Blond - fell
Fence 2 Junior - fell, West End Rocker - fell
Fence 5 State of Play - unseated rider, Chicago Grey - brought down, Rare Bob - brought down
Fence 6 (Becher's) Synchronised - fell fatally
Fence 7 (Foinavon) Alfa Beat - fell
Fence 8 (Canal Turn) Black Apalachi - fell, Tatenen - unseated rider, Organisedconfusion - unseated rider, Killyglen - unseated rider, Becauseicouldntsee - unseated rider
Fence 10 Treacle - fell, Arbor Supreme - unseated rider
Fence 11 Giles Cross - pulled up
Fence 15 (The Chair) Always Right - unseated rider
Fence 17 Quiscover Fontaine - fell
Fence 19 Vic Venturi - refused, Deep Purple - pulled up
Fence 22 (Becher's) On His Own - fell, According to Pete - brought down fatally, Mon Mome - pulled up, Postmaster - pulled up
Fence 27 Weird Al - fell
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