Bookies celebrate as Mon Mome stuns punters at 100-1

The tiny nine-year-old gelding was, simply, foot-perfect over the 30 fearsome fences and four and a half gruelling miles. His equally unheralded jockey, Liam Treadwell, riding in the famous race for the first time, returned in obvious delight and with a degree of bemusement. "I'd been told what a tough race it was and how difficult it was to win," he said, "but I didn't have any worries. I was happy with the way I was going all the way, and he just got better and better. I just had a brilliant ride round."

Two fences out, Mon Mome, trained by Venetia Williams at Kings Caple in Herefordshire, was one of at least a dozen runners still with a chance. At the last, the pack had thinned, but a thrilling denouement was still in prospect, with last year's winner, Comply Or Die, leading the charge, ahead of My Will. But once Treadwell sent Mon Mome clear at the elbow of the long run-in, his rivals were treading water.

The outsider, celebrated by bookmakers – "the best National result in our history," said Ladbrokes' Mike Dillon – drew 12 lengths clear, with Comply Or Die (14-1) holding My Will (8-1) for the minor berth. State Of Play (14-1) came in fourth, with another 100-1 shot, Cerium, fifth, Big Fella Thanks sixth and 7-1 favourite Butler's Cabin seventh. Hear The Echo died after collapsing 200 yards from the post.

If Mon Mome did enjoy any good fortune, it came at the start. Twice the overkeen jockeys charged the tape, twice they were sternly brought back – some having nearly reached the first fence – by starter Sean McDonald. "I missed the break both those times," admitted Treadwell. "I'd been thinking of what I'd been told to do in the race, and I was half asleep."

Third time, lucky Treadwell found his perfect pitch. "Venetia said to go down the inner, but try to give him light, as he's not so big. But though he's small, he rides like a bigger horse. He's very agile and uses himself well. And over big fences, if you have a horse who gets his front end up like he does, it really helps."

Sussex-born Treadwell, 23, is bred for the job; both his parents once worked for the top Flat trainer John Dunlop at Arundel. He started on the Flat but increasing weight meant a switch to jumps five years ago. And perhaps yesterday's success was meant to be, if his regime on his Equicizer, a jockey's mechanical dummy horse, is a guide. "When I was a young lad getting fit for the Flat," he said, "I used to ride along to recordings of the Grand National."

Yesterday was far and away his biggest success, although he did finish second on Mon Mome in the Welsh National three years ago. "The horse got round last year for someone else," he said, "and I'd have been happy for him just to do the same thing for me. I just didn't want to let people down by falling at the first."

At the last, Treadwell had two of his heroes, Timmy Murphy and Ruby Walsh, in his sights. "I'd been in a little bit of a pocket coming back over the Melling Road, which may have just given him a breather and all I had to do was give him a little tap to go faster," he said of Mon Mome, the first French-bred winner in 100 years.

"He is so genuine that he responded immediately. I wasn't sure how far clear I was so I kept going. At that stage I was not going to sit up and try to look pretty."

Mon Mome made another small piece of history, in that Williams is now only the second of her sex to have saddled a National winner, after Jenny Pitman, but the Herefordshire-based handler shrugged off suggestions that her achievement was a particular blow for womanhood. "It's just a fantastic race to win," she said, "whether you're male or female." Williams, 48, rode in the 1988 running, knocked unconscious when her mount, Marcolo, came down at Becher's. Her riding career ended two weeks later when she broke her neck in another fall.

"For the first half of the race I was watching the wrong horse, something that was out the back" she admitted, "so I wasn't getting over-excited. Then coming back towards the stands I saw him in that bunch of horses and was shouting to him to kick on and not wait like all the other buggers. It was only over the last that I could get confident he'd win."

The normally composed, matter-of-fact Williams declined to remove her sunglasses. "For once, you might see a tear or two," she said. "This win is a team effort, for everyone at the yard. A day like this makes up for all the work in filthy weather and conditions all winter."

Mon Mome, discovered by Williams as an obscure three-year-old in France, carries the colours of Vida Bingham, whose other passion is bridge. Yesterday was the day he came up trumps.

The First Four

1 MON MOME - Liam Treadwell 100-1

Trained by Venetia Williams

2 Comply Or Die -Timmy Murphy 14-1

Trained by David Pipe

3 My Will - Ruby Walsh 8-1

Trained by Paul Nicholls

4 State Of Play - Paul Moloney 14-1

Trained by Evan Williams

What they said

Liam Treadwell, Winning jockey

It hasn't sunk in yet. I had a quick look round but did not know how far I was in front David Johnson

Owner of 2nd, Comply Or Die

I have had my turn. It's time for someone else. He has run the race of a lifetime

Ruby Walsh, Jockey of 3rd, My Will

He didn't travel as well as last year but had a stone more, so you wouldn't expect him to

Fergus Wilson, Owner of 100-1 5th Cerium

I'm realistic, none of mine are Gold Cup class but I always take my boots to Wembley

David Williams PR for Ladbrokes

It was better than we could have dreamed of. Liam Treadwell was our saviour