DORSET charge Fiddlerontheroof placed fifth in the Grand National as amateur rider Sam Waley-Cohen enjoyed a fairytale finale to his career, steering Noble Yeats to victory at Aintree.

However, that was as good as it got for the county's steeplechasers as Harry Fry's Phoenix Way was pulled out of the race with a high temperature.

Colin Tizzard's Lostintranslation finished 15th and last behind yardmate Fiddlerontheroof, while Snow Leopardess – who has connections to Dorset with the Fox-Pitt family – was pulled up,

The 39-year-old Waley-Cohen announced his intention to retire last week, nominating Emmet Mullins’ mount as his farewell ride in the world’s most famous steeplechase.

READ MORE: Phoenix Way pulls out of Grand National 2022

Sent off at 50-1, few would have expected Noble Yeats to strike in the extended four-and-a-quarter-mile showpiece – but he ran a magnificent race as he fended off the 15-2 favourite Any Second Now by two and a quarter lengths for a famous National success.

Coming to the last they were the only pair in contention and under a strong drive, Noble Yeats kept finding more to prevail in the colours of Waley-Cohen’s father, Robert. Delta Work (10-1) was 20 lengths back third, with Santini (33-1) another length and a quarter away in fourth.

A jubilant Waley-Cohen – who won the Cheltenham Gold Cup with Long Run in 2011 – said: “He ran for me, he couldn’t go the early pace and I just tried to find pockets to give him a bit of space to run into. I found myself on the inner and was going more forward than I wanted to.

“He loves seeing his fences, so I kept trying to find a spot where he could see them. When I asked him he came, but if I just half-asked him he wasn’t confident, so I was trying to sit against him – he likes the bit in his mouth and your legs against him.

“I was just trying to get him in that nice rhythm and as soon as I asked him, he went.

“I thought I’d gone too early (at the last). I really didn’t want to get there then, but as soon as he picked up I thought ‘he’s gone, he’s got this’.

“Dad has always supported me unwaveringly, we’ve never had a cross word, it’s always been for fun. It’s been a love affair. To my wife, long-suffering, they aren’t all good days, there are bad days in this sport.

“We came here thinking the sun’s out, it’s your last ride – go and have a nice spin, no expectations. Just enjoy it.

“It’s a dream. I couldn’t believe it.”