2006 Grand National winner Niall 'Slippers' Madden joined Friday's Off the Ball with the big race coming up this weekend.
Madden, who rode Numbersixvalvede to victory 22 years ago, told Ger about how important it was to keep on the tail of fellow jockey's Ruby Walsh and Tony McCoy if he was to succeed at Aintree.
"In the middle of the race - I'm not sure where they actually start - it's a long time ago now - but I remember after the first circuit and they were never three of four lengths ahead of me at that stage so I knew was happy enough where I was when you're following Ruby Walsh and Tony McCoy, to me, two of the best jump-jockeys we've seen in a long, long time.
"And obviously Ruby had won it before and unfortunately McCoy hadn't won it at that stage but I knew I was in a great position with a circuit to go - if I just kept following them - I wouldn't be too far away.
"I just remember McCoy saying that he hadn't got much left and Ruby was more or less saying the same but they said 'The fella on your outside is going real well'"- 'Slippers' Madden on hearing Walsh and McCoy during the 2006 Grand National...
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— Off The Ball (@offtheball) April 13, 2018
"You can faintly hear (them) because you're trying to listen out because there's obviously going to be a fall or whatever - you're trying to keep your awareness around. There might be someone shouting saying 'There's a loose horse coming by' or 'He's in the way' - you have to keep your awareness of what's around and what's happening around you.
"Just at the Melling Road just before we turned in for the second last it's either McCoy asked Ruby 'How we were going' or vice-versa - I can't remember who started the conversation and I just remember McCoy saying that he hadn't got much left and Ruby was more or less saying the same but they said 'The fella on your outside is going real well'
"And me, green horn, first time riding in the race - quiet as a mouse. I was afraid to even open my mouth because I couldn't believe how well I was going at the time.
"I was afraid to open my mouth because I couldn't realise how good I was going at the time and there's only two fences left to jump in the Grand National.
"You're obviously thinking 'I hope they're right' because that's me they're talking about! Your talking about the Grand National - the biggest jump race that everybody watches - even people that aren't interested in racing.
"To me, it's the race everybody wants to win in racing and they're talking about with a chance to win with two fences left to jump!"
The full interview is available here:
