The winner of the Grand National, the world's most famous steeplechase, has a habit of providing a fairytale storyline and Saturday's renewal has the potential to supply another one.

Down the years there has been Rachael Blackmore becoming the first woman to ride the winner, Minella Times, in 2021, and Bob Champion riding Aldaniti to victory in 1981 after recovering from cancer.

Such is the National's appeal -- first run in 1839 and won appropriately given the unpredictability of the race by Lottery -- an estimated 600 million will watch around the world.

AFP Sport picks out five horses from the 34 runners that could provide the fairytale ending to the 30-fence marathon and pick up the GBP500,000 ($650,000) winners cheque (horse, country trained in):

Trainer John 'Shark' Hanlon's stable star has bite as he showed in winning the 2023 King George VI Chase.

Bought for just 800 euros ($865) a win for him would restore some of the lustre to Hanlon's reputation after he served a ban this season for "gross negligence" in the removal of a dead horse from his yard.

Hewick warmed up for........

© International Business Times