70,000 flocked to Aintree to see a rank outsider win the National, as Samantha Parker and Laura Sharpe report

GRAND National racegoers put all thoughts of an economic downturn behind them as Aintree enjoyed its highest Saturday attendance figures since 2005.

The organisers of the world- famous steeple chase weren’t the only ones celebrating Aintree’s ability to pull in the punters, as bookmakers enjoyed their biggest win in the history of the race.

Rank outsider Mon Mome became only the fifth horse to win the Grand National at odds of 100/1 – the joint longest starting price in the race’s 162-year history – as the public bet more than £200m on the result of the 4½-mile marathon..

David Williams, spokesman for Ladbrokes, said: “It was our best Grand National result in the history of the race.

“We had to hire cranes to carry the cash off the course. It was a difficult day for the punters, but such is the romance of the race. We know they will be back next year to get their sweet revenge.”

Mon Mome is also only the third female-trained winner of the race. Venetia Williams followed in the footsteps of Jenny Pitman, who saddled Corbiere in 1983 and Royal Athlete in 1995.

She said: “In the National, anything can happen.

“It’s the race that everyone wants to win, that’s known all over the world, but you always assume that it’s out of reach.”

Julian Thick, managing director for Aintree, said it had been another great year for the event.“It has been a fantastic year for the Grand National. We were confident we would do well, as there has been a huge demand for tickets since they went on sale last August.

“But the fact that the numbers have risen is just fantastic. It shows how well supported the race is locally and nationally.

“Even the weather was perfect and helped everybody to enjoy themselves more.

“Planning starts for next year on Monday, where we will be looking to making more improvements to the facilities on offer as we do every year.”

It had been feared the credit crunch would reduce attendance, but 25,000 came to the track on Thursday, 50,000 for Ladies Day on Friday and 70,000 on Saturday.

Liverpool council leader Warren Bradley said the National once again proved one of the crown jewels in the nation's sporting calendar.