Tiger Roll's victory bestowed upon us a moment of utter unity

On an indelible Aintree Saturday the angels gave us more than a mere glimpse of the sunlit uplands when Tiger Roll scampered all but seamlessly to a second Grand National victory that left the 70,000 on hand reeling with the feeling that it was, indeed, magnificent to be alive.

Across a nation close to exhausted by schism and division we suddenly had bestowed upon us a moment of utter unity – all brought about by a diminutive thoroughbred endowed with a heart the size of a continent.

And after a Cheltenham Festival that sowed an absurd amount of discord, here was the affirming, pulsating and tear duct-flushing afternoon jump racing needed.