An injured horse, a divorce, a young Irish trainer who has yet to win at home, and a jockey with the nickname Puppy.
Racing enthusiasts like nothing better than a fairytale and Silver Birch ticked all the boxes when he won the Grand National at Aintree on Saturday. For those reasons, the 10-year-old gelding got a rousing reception when arrived back on Irish soil yesterday to begin his lap of honour around the country.
He stopped briefly in Summerhill, Co Meath, home of his 29-year-old trainer Gordon Elliott, before cheekily trotting into the winners' enclosure at the Curragh racecourse.
The Curragh may be the headquarters for flat racing, but the large crowd gave the National Hunt winner a rapturous reception as the race was replayed over the speakers. Gordon Elliott stood in a daze as he was mobbed by well-wishers and back-slappers. The former amateur rider got his full trainer's licence less than a year ago and had just a handful of wins in Britain before winning the big one. He was the youngest trainer in Saturday's race. "It was brilliant, unbelievable," he said.
"I don't think there's much bigger you can win than this." But he is not the only fresh face in the team behind the victory.
Silver Birch's jockey Robert "Puppy" Power is just 25, while owner Brian Walsh from Kilcock is in his mid-20s. "Who would have believed we were going to win it?" Mr Elliott asked.
Brian Walsh bought the horse on the advice of Mr Elliott at Doncaster Sales for just £20,000 (€29,000) last year. The former Welsh Grand National winner was lame and "in a right old state", according to his new owner.
He was dubbed the "divorce horse" by the tabloids yesterday after it was reported that one of his former owners had sold him to help cover a divorce settlement.
There must have been regrets too for the horse's former trainer Paul Nicholls. The champion English trainer has yet to win the Aintree Grand National.
Mr Elliott said he had never expected to win, but he did think the horse might do well. "If we finished sixth or seventh, that was what we were hoping. But he jumped and travelled the whole way. It was unbelievable."
Like all new celebrities, Silver Birch's diary has begun to fill up. He made an appearance in his owner's home town last night and is expected in Trim tonight.
But now that he has trained a Grand National winner, does Gordon Elliott worry he has peaked too soon? "No," he said, "once we can keep training winners, up or down the country, we'll be happy."
