Irish Grand National Report: Philip Carberry continued a remarkable family tradition when guiding Point Barrow to a resounding Powers Whiskey Irish Grand National victory at Fairyhouse yesterday.
The 25-year-old jockey finally broke out of the shadow of some famous relatives to secure the biggest success of his career and set off another local party to celebrate victory in Ireland's most valuable jump race.
Those who specialise in following pedigrees will no doubt have been celebrating harder than most because in a game that concentrates on bloodlines more than most, the Carberry name is pure gold.
Born and raised no more than a stone's throw from the track, Philip was following in familiar footsteps that percolate through the heart of the Irish National's modern history.
His legendary father Tommy won the race twice as a jockey on Brown Lad (1975-76) and then provided Bobbyjo in 1998 for the former champion jockey Paul to ride to victory.
As if that isn't enough, Philip's uncle is Arthur Moore who trained Feathered Gale to win in 1996 and won it himself as a rider 35 years ago on Kings Sprite.
In fact amidst all the tradition it could almost be forgotten that the winner's younger sister Nina, generally regarded as the best female jockey currently operating, also rode in the race on Star Clipper.
Such a background could have been as much of a hindrance as a help for a young man but the latest Carberry National winner exhibited some typical flamboyance to grab the race by the scruff of the neck before the fourth last fence and not let go until hitting the line a length in front of Oulart.
"It's a brilliant feeling. It all went so smoothly that in fact it wasn't much of a struggle, more of a dream," he said.
"It's a special day and the biggest result of my career. It hasn't sunk in, but we'll try and make it sink in this evening!"
Up to yesterday, Carberry's most important moment had been on Lanturn in the Kerry National six years previously and yet again it was that horse's trainer, Pat Hughes, who again supplied the ammunition. Co Carlow-based Hughes won the Irish National in 1986 with Insure but Point Barrow's win will have meant just as much to the trainer who had endured a barren five and a half months without a winner.
"At least it happened in the right one!" he said before revealing that a trip to Bristol University in February for a wind operation laid the foundations for Point Barrow's success.
"He's always been a good horse and coming down from Ballyhack I said to myself it looks like another National for PH."
It was a race for the lightweights with Oulart finishing eight lengths clear of the third A New Story and American Jennie running fourth.
The favourite, Dun Doire, never threatened and struggled home in seventh which was no surprise to his trainer Tony Martin. "He is too slow for that quickish ground and he got too far detached. It's no one's fault, it's just the way he is," Martin said. "I'm delighted after all he has done this season that he has come back sound and fine."
With another Irish National to celebrate, it's odds against the same comment applying to the Carberrys this morning!
A bumper official crowd of 18,703 attended yesterday which was over 2,000 up on the corresponding day last year. There was a slight increase in Tote turnover to €674,666 and also a slight increase for the bookmakers to €2,152,626.
The Grand National contributed €485,801 of that.