RACING: The start time for Saturday's Grand National has been pushed back by 25 minutes to 4.10pm instead of 3.45. The move comes after the rescheduling of the wedding of the Prince Of Wales to Camilla Parker Bowles, thereby allowing Prince Charles to attended the Pope's funeral in Rome on Friday.

The two events have caused a nightmare for programme planners at the BBC, with both occasions clamouring for priority in Saturday's television schedules. A BBC spokesperson said: "We are absolutely delighted that the Grand National is still on BBC One and we are very pleased that Aintree have come to this decision."

The Grand National will now be run as the fifth race on the seven-race programme, rather than the fourth, with the first four races to be televised live on BBC Two.