An expert guide - riding the Grand National course with Richard Johnson

The Grand National start isn't everything. Shortening the run to the first fence has meant there is less opportunity for jockeys to take each other on, although people will still ask, why don't they go slower to the first? The reality is people want a reasonable position and a bit of room.

My view, however, is it probably doesn't matter where you line up. David Nicholson used to say to me the most important thing was to get into a good rhythm. I'm sure he was right. Over those first few fences I don't think it makes a huge amount of difference if you're down the inner, middle or outer, particularly because you don't meet a bend for such a long way.

In the old days, if you got into the bottom of the first fence, that was that. In one of my first National rides, I fell at the first on Banjo. I got to my feet feeling gutted, looked up and saw four other jockeys in the same boat. As a result of the changes that have been made to the fences, a horse can now make a mistake and get away with it.