Aintree, England - The joint 7-1 favourite Comply Or Die on Saturday won the 2008 Grand National at Aintree, beating Kong Johns Castle by four lengths.

The nine-year-old, who only returned to racing towards the end of last year after a 22-month injury lay-off, pushed to the front towards the end of the race, moving ahead of Chelsea Harbour and Bewleys Brew, who had been doing most of the early running.

Once Irish jockey Timmy Murphy took the David Pipe-trained and David Johnson-owned horse to the front, there was no looking back.

"I can't believe it yet, it's the best ride I've ever had over these fences," he told journalists after the ride.

"He got into a lovely rhythm and he jumped fantastic, he picked up again when King Johns Castle came at me. It's not sunk in, I'm delighted for David Pipe and my boss David Johnson - it's a race he's always wanted to win."

Johnson receives 450,720 pounds (888,450 dollars) of the total purse of 800,000 pounds.

For Murphy it was the first success at the famous race at his 12th attempt.

Third place went to Snowy Morning, while Slim Pickings finished fourth.

The steeplechase race, which is the most valuable National Hunt horse race in the United Kingdom and the biggest betting race in the country, was once again marred by several falls over the 30 fences, with just 15 horses of the 40 starters finishing.

Animal right protesters have long been calling for a ban on the race, which this year again claimed a fatality as Mckelvey, who last year finished second, had to be put down on Saturday after the race following a fall. (dpa)