By Cornelius Lysaght BBC racing correspondent

Father time: Jockey's husband Just Champion: Emotional hero Scotch and wry: Trainer target

And the Aintree marathon is renowned for producing extraordinary stories and personalities.

Here's a rundown of some faces who will be in the limelight this time round.

GINGER McCAIN

Now aged 74, he became an Aintree icon during the 1970s when overseeing Red Rum's record three victories, plus two second places.

The legendary status enjoyed by the irrepressible taxi driver and second hand car salesman-turned-trainer increased in 2004 when, after a 27-year break, he once again landed the top prize, with Amberleigh House, a runner again this year.

Based during the Red Rum days at Southport, close to Liverpool, McCain now runs stables in Cheshire with his wife, Beryl, and son Donald.

BOB CHAMPION

It is nearly a quarter of a century since Champion starred in THE Aintree fairytale when overcoming cancer to partner ex-cripple Aldaniti to a tear-jerking success.

Now heading his own cancer charity, Champion will be back at Aintree this year reliving some of those golden memories of 1981.

And he will have a familiar name to cheer on: leading fancy Joly Bey is trained by Nick Gifford, whose hugely popular father Josh was responsible for Aldaniti.

JENNY PITMAN

Now retired, she made an immeasurable contribution to the Grand National story when becoming the first female trainer to win it.

That success with Corbiere (1983) and another, with Royal Athlete (1995), plus a series of near-misses, saw Pitman, now an author, dubbed The First Lady of Aintree.

And it is not just in the history books that her legacy gallops on; son Mark, who took over the family's training mantle, saddled 2001 Grand National runner-up Smarty, a possible this year.

RICHARD PITMAN

Best known these days as a BBC television racing expert, and, let's be honest, as Jenny Pitman's ex.

But his place in Aintree history was assured way back in 1973 when the then top jockey and his mount Crisp were passed in the dying strides by Red Rum, having been well in front for a long time.

It was heart-breaking stuff, not least because the gallant horse and his enterprising rider had attempted to lead all the way, and provided an exhibition round of jumping.

RICHARD FORD

Whilst chatter about Forest Gunner's prospects has been dominated by talk of his jockey, Carrie Ford, her husband Richard, the horse's trainer, has been working away.

Ford, with 30 horses under his care at stables near Tarporley, Cheshire is himself no stranger to the Aintree challenge having won the Fox Hunters' Chase as a jockey on the front-running Rolling Ball (1996).

And when not around horses, Ford loves to race powerful motorbikes, which wife Carrie insists is far more dangerous than anything she will be doing in the Grand National.

NIGEL TWISTON-DAVIES/CARL LLEWELLYN

Trainer Twiston-Davies, pictured, and his jockey Llewellyn hold the most successful Aintree records going into the big race, Ginger McCain apart.

And the pair, both successful twice, are teaming up with another former winner in Bindaree, who is well fancied for a repeat despite long odds.

Twiston-Davies was on the verge of retirement before Bindaree's success in 2002, while Llewellyn refuses to contemplate hanging up his boots although his 40th birthday is looming.

CHARLES BARNETT

Aintree racecourse's managing director Charles Barnett got an early taste of the dramas associated with the Grand National when doing his job for the first time in 1993.

That was the year that the race was declared "void" after the false start fiasco, and as soon as 1997, the ex-shipping executive again found the role was not all plain sailing when a bomb threat delayed the race for 48 hours.

However, the steadiness of Barnett's hand during crises has been one of the most striking features of recent Aintree history.

RUBY WALSH/TED WALSH

Jockey Ruby and his trainer father Ted know all about winning the Grand National, in their native Ireland and on Merseyside.

Just the other day, the son, riding for another trainer, beat the father in the Irish National, a race they won together in 2000, the same year as grabbing Aintree glory with Papillon.

This time around, Walsh junior partners Hedgehunter, for trainer Willie Mullins, although senior may miss out as Jack High, that Irish National runner-up from last month, looks unlikely to make the cut.

LUCINDA RUSSELL

No horse from Scotland has won the race since Rubstic in 1979, although Blue Charm was a courageous runner-up behind Bobbyjo (1999).

But as trainer Russell sends Strong Resolve from Milnathort, near Perth, she knows she has the horse for the job, as he demonstrated guts and stamina aplenty when 2nd in the Welsh Grand National.

It would be no big shock if bubbly Russell turns out to be the woman participant that makes most Grand National headlines this year.

JONJO O'NEILL

O'Neill lost count of the number of times that he tried and failed to even get around the Grand National course as a jockey.

Now training in Gloucestershire, it seemed that at last the ever-popular Irishman's luckless Aintree run had come to an end as Clan Royal challenged for the lead on the run from the last fence in the 2004 race.

But Clan Royal, owned by businessman JP McManus, was second. Unraced since, and trying to overcome a virus that has laid low the O'Neill stable this season, Clan Royal is back for another crack.

TREVOR HEMMINGS

Hemmings, 69, has spent a significant amount of the not inconsiderable fortune he has amassed on trying to own the Grand National winner.

And the one-time bricklayer, who has constructed a vast business empire, that includes Blackpool Tower and a sizeable stake in brewers Scottish and Newcastle, came close to realising his dream in 2004, with Hedgehunter.

However, the horse fell at the very last fence. But soon afterwards a plan was being hatched for another go this year, and Hedgehunter is rated a leading contender.