Ruby Walsh was a confusion of emotions after he drove Numbersixvalverde to a dramatic victory in the Power's Gold Label Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse yesterday.
Although the rider landed the €250,000 race by three-quarters of a length from Jack High, he did so at the expense of his father, Ted, who trained the runner-up.
Walsh, who had won the Irish National for his father on Commanche Court five years earlier, said: "We caught him up the run-in - that's racing. I had a good run all the way through and he jumped well. Coming up the straight he stuck his head out and battled well".
There was plenty of style and glamour on show among the attendance of 16,600, which was down 1,400 on the corresponding day last year. However, a course record of €2,068,268 was bet with the bookmakers, including €346,443 on the Grand National. Last year's bookmaker figure was just over €1.6 million. Tote turnover was marginally down from €685,341 to €651,324.