Many Clouds was given a hero’s reception in Lambourn yesterday after his momentous triumph in the Crabbie’s Grand National at Aintree.

More than a thousand people turned out to cheer the eight-year-old, who gave trainer Oliver Sherwood a first Grand National win.

The trainer spent Saturday night celebrating in Liverpool after the 25-1 shot’s stunning success under Leighton Aspell from Saint Are (25-1).

But he arrived back at his Lambourn base yesterday in time for his charge’s victory parade, and is thrilled with how his pride and joy has recovered from his exertions.

Sherwood said: “Many Clouds is absolutely A1. We stayed up (in Liverpool) last night, but my staff said he was fantastic and that he’d eaten up and had a buck and a kick.

Sport

“He’s handled it better than most of the two-legged people in the yard.”

The trainer said a return to Aintree in a year’s time is likely to be top of his agenda for next season.

He can only carry a pound more next year and we’ll probably train him for the National, as opposed to the Gold Cup,” he added.

Aspell, successful on Pineau De Re last year, was the first jockey to land back-to-back Nationals since Brian Fletcher on Red Rum in 1973-4.

He said: “I thoroughly enjoyed last year, the whole year after winning the National, and I thoroughly enjoyed this year, too.”

BALTHAZAR King is recovering at the University of Liverpool Equine Hospital after suffering suspected broken ribs following his fall.