The Winner

Papillon

The Grand National is famous for being the worlds most famous horse race, but it should be famous for the coincidences or fairy stories that occur it seems every year. Papillon But although that is correct, it rarely turns up two years with the same story but this year it really was a case of Deja Vu. The winner was trained by Father, it was ridden by the son, it was backed off the boards on the day of the race, the horse was given a warm up race over hurdles and last but by no means least it was an Irish raider! All these points were true last year when the race was won by Bobby Jo Many people did not give Papillon much of a chance this year given that the horse had been out of form but going back 2 years it was Pappilon who was second to last years Grand National winner Bobby Jo in the Irish National and now the form of that race looks very good indeed. The horse ran very well jumped the Aintree fences without trouble and stayed on but did not win with the comfortable 10 length margin of last year indeed had to battle up to the line to get his 1 ¼ length victory but he is no less a hero for that. However his participation in the race was no forgone conclusion, his American owner Mrs. Betty Moran was not keen on her beloved equine hero running in the Aintree masterpiece, as the reports she had read did not give her the greatest confidence, not that the horse could win but that the risk of injury was too great. Thankfully she did take the advice of her Kill based trainer and the rest as they say is history.

Edward ( Ted ) Walsh

Ted Walsh is the head of a very friendly family based training yard in Kill County Kildare where all the family helps out. Ted Walsh Ted Jr. who is unlike his brother a big man who's plays prop for Naas rugby club helps out in the stables at weekends, his sister 23 yr old Jennifer who despite holding a job with Irish Racing is also her brother Ruby’s Agent, Ruby who rides for his dad and also rides out at the stable when he can ( he is stable jockey to Willie Mullins ) then there's Katie and Mum Helen does the stables accounts. Ted was a very successful amateur jockey before he turned his hand to training indeed he was 11 times the Irish Amateur Champion rider and won four times at Cheltenham and the last of these wins was in the Foxhunters in 1986. His yard consists of about 20 horses but he has some class in his yard with horses like Commanche Run and the smart Rince Ri ( Pronounced rinky ree or you will get the roth of Ted ). He is frequently seen on our TV screens as he commentates on runners and riders not only in Ireland but is quite often ’ Our man in Ireland ’ on Channel 4 racing. The fact that he has won the race that so many only dream of will surly be heightened by the fact that his son was the winning jockey and at the presentation after receiving his winning trainers trophy his chest boomed out to almost bursting point with pride when his son came to the platform to receive the jockeys trophy.

Ruby Walsh

At the age of 20 Ruby Walsh has done what most other jockeys never achieve Winning the worlds greatest steeplechase. Ruby Walsh A Manchester United fan when not racing Ruby 's year has not been memorable up to now as he has been struck by a spate of injuries starting with a broken collar bone and the breaking his leg twice in the same place. He turned professional last year after becoming the leading amateur rider on two occasions in Ireland. And topped this by becoming the Top Jockey last year with a very good total of 96 wins. He is a young man with a great future ahead of him and I'm sure that he is already thinking of next year and hoping to win again for his father and who knows if the ground comes up good again it would be brave man to rule him out.

Second Place

Mely Moss

Mely Moss This years second was one of the great training performances, as the trainer of Mely Moss managed to get this horse fit and ready to run in the worlds greatest steeplechase without the benefit of a single prep run this year, indeed this horse has been very lightly raced since his arrival in the UK from France in January 1997. With only six runs it is an amazing feat for this horse to run so well in a 4 ½ mile race. The horse was ridden very well and jumped well throughout the race and only made one single mistake all the way through and that was at ' The long jump ' ( The Water Jump ). The horse has had his problems this year with leg trouble and also had a virus so his second place 1 1/4 lths behind the winner was probably the best performance of the day and to say this takes nothing way from the winner.

Charlie Egerton

" I'm numb and can't believe it " was the quote from the Trainer of Mely Moss, Charlie Egerton. But it really was a fabulous run and an equally terrific training performance for this trainer. I think it is fair to say that patience is the key when you have horses like this who have injury problems and it must be frustrating to have to sit out preparation races to keep the horse together. Charlie Egerton trains at Heads Farm Stables, Chaddleworth.

Norman Williamson

Norman Williamson is one of this countries best jockeys, and his skill and riding were top class today. Norman Williamson Norman said after the race that although the horse was going well and that there was quite a few that looked in with a chance he thought that Pappilon was the horse that they had to beat from 3 out, and he should now as he has ridden the horse in the past. Norman has won most of the big races in this country and also in his native Ireland including the Cheltenham Gold Cup and The Champion Hurdle. He has guided some very good horse to victory with the likes of Master Oats and Teeton Mill. Also to his credit is not afraid to pull up horses early if he thinks that there may be a problem with them and I'm sure that it was his good horsemanship that saved Teeton mill from a more serious or even a fatal injury

Third Place

Niki Dee

Niki Dee put an improved performance on what he has done to date even making alowances for the fact that he made a few mistakes throughout the race, but he made good progress and stayed on if a little one paced. This race seems to have brought out the best in this horse despite his few jumping errors. His best race up to this term was when second in the Cathcart. But this year has been very good for him if on most occations but he has found a few too good, but has been very good behind good horses like Tullymurry Toff, The Last Fling and Beau. At ten years old he should have more good races in him and it would not be a surprise to see him win one or two good handicaps next term.

P.Beaumont

Peter Beaumont is a top class triner who trains in Brandsby in Yorkshire, and wins many good races north and south of the country. He had two runners in this years race and this was proberbly his second string as he also trains the very smart Scottish National winner Young Kenny , and he may get some recompence for not winning this race by the latters run in the Sottish National this year.

Robbie Supple

Robbie Supple is on of our good all round Jockeys. He rode a beautiful race on this horse and put the horse in a great position after he had made some mistakes in the race and was right there if the horse was good enough to win.

Fourth Place

Brave Highlander

Brave Highlander this year showed more improvement on his very good sixth in the race last year. He was running well and his jumping was sound enough despite a mistake at the 13th however he was very badly hampered on the second circuit when he was bumped in the air and landed very awkward but stayed on his feet and did his owners proud as with a few fences to go was still in with a chance, it was about two from home when he started to get left behind, but given the fact that he was so badly hampered I think he would have been a lot closer and who knows that although he can't be improving his connections want to bring him back next year at the grand old age of 13 for another crack at the big one.

Josh Gifford

Josh was one of our great jockeys of the past who took up a training licence and has gone to the top and stayed there for many a year now. His horses are top class and perhaps unlike some trainers he has horses of all types that do well and is not limited to long distance chasers or quick short hurdlers. He has won many good championship races in the past and his big day of national glory was with the same connections of this horse when Bob Champion and Aldeniti won the race in 1981.

Philip Hide

Philip Hide has been stable jockey to Josh Gifford for some time now and wins many good races for his Governor. He is a good jockey and rides very well as was shown in this race today when after being bumped badly stayed stuck to the horse and did not panic but let the horse recover without losing his chance and he produced him at the second last with ever chance but on the day the horse was just not quite good enough.