The derogatory descriptions came thick and fast beforehand. A glorified upside down handicap, just a decent point-to-point. Name the insult and it was said. Queues were practically forming to run down the quality of yesterday's Jameson Irish Grand National but true to form Fairyhouse's Easter Monday spectacular hit back with as exciting a finish since its first edition in 1870.
Paul Carberry's and Bobbyjo's half-length defeat of the wonderfully courageous topweight Papillon thrilled the 25,300 packed into the stands and also emphasised the wonderfully cyclical nature of the toughest game of all.
When Tommy Carberry was winning this race on Brown Lad in 1975 and 1976, he could hardly have forecast that his small son at home would end up riding a horse trained by his father to win Ireland's richest jump race. That would have been just fanciful. Almost as fanciful as predicting that the youngster would emerge as one of the most talented jockeys of his generation. Yet it unfolded.
What proved the point even more was the jockey on Papillon. Ruby Walsh was following a more frustrating Irish National pattern. Seventeen years ago his father Ted was runner-up to Luska on Pillar Brae. The Carberry clan's experience may be the more satisfying but Walsh, 18, contributed magnificently to yesterday's race.
"It's fantastic that Paul was available to ride the horse because there was a doubt about him getting off from England," said Carberry Snr who trains only a matter of miles from Fairyhouse and who was at the centre of a raucously happy scrum in the winners enclosure.
The £50,000 bonus that Bobbyjo earned for winning the National in addition to the Porterstown Chase here last November no doubt contributed to the merriment but so too did the tightly knit links between the connections.
Owner Bobby Burke, originally from Mountbellew, Co. Galway, but now a London publican, was one of Tommy Carberry's first clients when he started training in the early eighties. The link has remained strong ever since. In National Hunt racing, such loyalty counts for a lot and yesterday it got its payoff.
Whatever about the quality issue, the race was exciting from the off. Four horses crashed at the very first fence including the well backed outsider Tryfirion. Three obstacles later and the shortest priced of the four British runner, Druids Brook, deposited Andrew Thornton. After that the casualities were thankfully less frequent but the contest no less exciting.
Coming to five out, Carberry, 24, had negotiated Bobbyjo into a position but the favourite Bob Treacy and Heist were also travelling ominously when falling. Favourite backers might have groaned but viewing compensation was in the offing.
"I was able to do all I wanted in the race and turning away from the last regulation I was very happy," Carberry said afterwards. That happiness was probably due to Papillon being in front. Twelve stone over three miles and five? Papillon had to weaken - but he didn't.
"Being nearly brought down at the fourth didn't help me," Ruby Walsh reported but in the straight and on the run in nobody could accuse Papillon of looking for an excuse. Two brave horses under two ultra-talented young jockeys were locked together but ultimately Bobbyjo's 11lb weight concession was the difference.
"We had been thinking of this race last year but as he was only a novice we decided we'd wait. When he won the Proudstown, we decided then to have a crack at the National. It was difficult watching but he really battled," Carberry Snr said.
Papillon could run again this season in the Whitbred at Sandown where Call It A Day, who just beat another English trained horse in Full Of oats for third, could also go.
"Charlie Swan gave my horse the most beautiful ride. He did everything he said he would do but the others were just too good on the day," said Call It A Day's trainer David Nicholson. "He's run his heart out," said Terry Biddlecombe, assistant to Full Of Oats' trainer Henrietta Knight.
The same comment could be applied to all of the National's 11 finishers. Quality doesn't automatically include courage and yesterday's race had plenty of courage.
Those who backed Prince of Denial to win yesterday's Coral Rosebery Handicap at Kempton have every right to feel sorry for themselves. David Arbuthnot's four-year-old still had a firm grip of his bridle as he stalked the leaders with over two furlongs of the £30,000-added handicap to run.
But as Simon Whitworth asked him to improve the bay found his path blocked.
The same thing happened on the run to the final furlong and by the time Prince of Denial found clear water it was too late.
At the line he filled fourth place behind American Whisper, beaten exactly four lengths. Whether Prince of Denial would have won the race is open to debate but there is no doubt whatever that with a clear run he would have finished significantly closer, and a similar event should prove well within his compass.
