Jonathan Powell remembers the first Grand National he covered and warns that the winner was unique

JONATHAN POWELL.3
The origins of the myth that two and a half mile horses have sufficient stamina to win the Grand National stretch all the way back to 1970 when Gay Trip galloped to victory at Aintree ridden by veteran jockey Pat Taaffe.
I have sound reasons for remembering that result better than most because it was the first Grand National I covered in my new role as racing correspondent of the News of the World, which sold six millions copies each Sunday.
Quite how many readers bought the ...