The Grand National, the most famous hunter chase in the world, continues to thrive in the UK, where hunting's been banned. Perhaps it's not surprising, as it's survived all sorts of ups and downs in its 170 years: bomb scares, animal-rights protests; void races; attempts to close Aintree and Devon Loch collapsing within sight of the winning post. Charlie Lambert , who covered the race for years and used to live next door to the horse Red Rum, tells the story of the nation's favourite horse race and examines what place it has in our future. Producer Ian Bent