Grand National 2016 results: Rule The World wins at Aintree after late surge to beat The Last Samuri

David Mullins rode Rule The World to perfection to hit the front on the dash to the finish line

David Mullins celebrates winning the Grand National on Rule The World (Getty)

Rule The World showed his battling qualities when ploughing through the rain-softened conditions to land the Crabbie's Grand National at Aintree.

Steadily working his way through the field, the 33-1 shot, tipped by The Independent's Chris McGrath on Saturday, was sitting a close third as The Last Samuri and Vics Canvas jumped the last together.

The Last Samuri battled on at the elbow but could not quite hold off the strong-finishing Mouse Morris-trained nine-year-old, who was remarkably winning for the first time over fences.

Forging on inside the final 100 yards under 19-year-old David Mullins - on his first ride in the race - the Gigginstown House Stud-owned gelding eventually crossed the line six lengths ahead of 8-1 joint-favourite The Last Samuri.

Rule The World runs in the pack on his way to Grand National victory (Getty)

Vics Canvas was third at 100-1 and Gilgamboa (28-1) fourth.

Mullins said: "It's unbelievable. I just couldn't expect things to have gone better.

"There was one little mishap at the fourth-last, but thank god I came out (the other side). Everything went to plan really.

"Credit to Mouse, he's produced this horse without having won over fences. Then there's me, who's never even walked around the Grand National track.

"Mouse is a genius and he's the best man in the world for preparing a horse for one day.

"I'm very thankful to Michael and Eddie O'Leary (of Gigginstown) for giving me the chance.

"That's the best ride I've ever got off a horse and it's the best feeling to come back into a place like this.

"It was just brilliant."

The Last Samuri and Vics Cavnas battle as eventual winner Rule The World jumps the final fence (Getty)

Morris was almost lost for words after the race, but paid tribute to his late son, Christopher, who tragically died last summer from suspected carbon monoxide poisoning while travelling in South America.

Having also won the Irish National on Easter Monday with Rogue Angel, Morris said: "I don't know what to say. To have the two in a couple of weeks is unbelievable. I've a lad who's doing overtime for me up above.

"He (Rule The World) wasn't badly named, was he?"

As ever the race was not short of drama with the well-fancied Holywell parting company with Richie McLernon at the second fence, while dual King George winner Silviniaco Conti was pulled up.

Last year's winner Many Clouds travelled well for much of the way after having sat prominently before making a bad mistake which ultimately cost him a repeat chance of victory.

Although only 16 of the 39 runners that set out managed to get round, initial reports were that all horses had returned safely.

PA