Racing Grand National news: Prize-money for this season's Aintree Grand National meeting at Liverpool will top £2 million for the first time.

Speaking at the Co Cork yard of Jimmy Mangan, who saddled Monty's Pass to win the race last season, Charles Barnett, the track's managing director, emphasised that the £1 million Grand National was "still an Aintree objective".

Prize-money for the prestigious three-day fixture on April 1st, 2nd and 3rd is up by £85,000 over this year's meeting.

Mangan said yesterday that Monty's Pass would have a similar campaign as he builds up to another tilt at the Aintree showpiece.

Mangan explained: "He'll rest now, the year is over. The saddle will go back on on New Year's Day. We'll take the same route as last year. He came back in January, went for two hurdle races and then went straight on to Liverpool.

"His big plus always was his jumping. The hurdle races were just to get him sharpened up. He'll see a fence schooling. We've all seen how he can jump."

Norman Williamson partnered Monty's Pass in a canter at Mangan's farm yesterday, after which the former jockey joked: "That was my ambition - to ride a Grand National winner."

This will be Martell's last season as the meeting's sponsor since backing the Grand National fixture since 1999.