The rise and rise of Gordon Elliott would be crowned by second Aintree success

Gordon Elliott was just 29 and had barely begun his training career when his potential was revealed to the racing world. On what was an unseasonably scorching day at Aintree 11 years ago, Elliott won the Grand National with his first ever entry, the 33-1 shot Silver Birch, and announced to the racing world in spectacular fashion the arrival of a prodigious talent.

At the time, however, the significance of the moment was shrouded by the fact that Elliott the trainer was a totally unknown quality. No one, for example, could point to a burgeoning record across the Irish Sea, because he didn't have one – astonishingly, a first winner on home soil would not follow until several weeks after Aintree.

Yet looking back on that roasting spring day from a very soggy 2018, in a week during which Elliott slung 13 arrows at the Irish Grand National and hit the bullseye for the first time with 20-1 General Principle, in the process probably sealing a first domestic championship, that day back in 2007 appears more seismic than anyone, including Elliott, could have realised at the time.