TONY McCoy’s 20th and final Crabbie’s Grand National ride, the Cotswold-trained Shutthefrontdoor, could return for more next year with a different jockey aboard.

The fairytale did not come true at Aintree, despite a typically talented show from the champion jockey.

Sent off 6-1 favourite, Shutthefrontdoor had every chance but his bid for glory flattened out in the closing stages and he faded into fifth place behind 25-1 winner Many Clouds.

Trained by Jonjo O’Neill in Temple Guiting, and owned by JP McManus, who gave McCoy his National triumph with Don’t Push It in 2010, the eight-year-old will go on a summer break.

“Shutthefrontdoor has come out of the race very well,” said McManus’ racing manager Frank Berry.

“He’s run a blinder and jumped great. He got a great ride and everything went well but he just didn’t get home.

“He had every chance but just wasn’t good enough on the day.

“We will try again next year but I wouldn’t make any excuse for him on Saturday.”

McCoy said: “I got a great ride off him and Jonjo had him in great shape.

“I’m going to miss riding horses like that and in races like that. I got a great buzz out of it and I thought for a long way he could win.”

The 40-year-old is now hoping for victory in Saturday’s Coral Scottish Grand National at Ayr.

He could partner the O’Neill-trained Catching On, favourite for last month’s Midlands National at Uttoxeter before parting company with McCoy, but his ride is still to be confirmed.

O’Neill won with Favoured Nation at Market Rasen.

Meanwhile, Ben Pauling’s Barters Hill (11-2) made it four from four with a game display from the front in the Weatherbys Wealth Management Champion Standard Open NH Flat Race at the Aintree meeting.

The trainer, from Bourton-on-the-Water, said: “He was so big and backward I thought he wouldn’t win for two years, but he’s gone from being the worst horse working at home to being phenomenal, and no horse can live with him.”

Chipping Norton trainer Charlie Longsdon may give Kalane the chance of Grade One success in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares Hurdle at Punchestown on Saturday, May 2.

The lightly-raced six-year-old won the 17-runner EBF and TBA Mares’ Final at Newbury.