LIGHTENING MIGHT not strike twice but Lion Na Bearnai beat the odds again to spring another big-race shock in the Ladbrokes Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse.

One of just five horses trained near Kells by Thomas Gibney, Lion Na Bearnai defied odds of 33 to 1 in fairytale fashion in Ireland’s most coveted steeplechase.

Just two months after springing perhaps the surprise of the entire season when landing Navan’s Grade Two Ten Up Chase at a massive 50 to 1, Lion Na Bearnai moved purposefully across Co Meath and garnered Gibney and jockey Andrew Thornton the high-profile success they craved.

Gibney (38), previously a successful amateur rider, has had a licence for five years but yesterday’s €250,000 victory was just the fifth winner from a tiny training operation struggling to establish itself.

“We had three winners from just four runners last year but unless you’re making the headlines no one knows who you are,” Gibney said. “Owners come with headlines and that’s what you want.”

It’s fair to say Gibney won’t be short of headlines this morning on the back of a thrilling success that saw Thornton power his mount up the straight to repel the persistent challenge of Out Now with the English-based hope Alfie Sherrin and Paddy Pub filling the places.

It was a fairytale victory for Thornton too. The 31-year-old from Navan has been one of the unsung heroes of the jockey’s room for almost 15 years who even briefly went pony racing, such were the limited opportunities he was getting.

Since trying his luck again, Thornton has been riding on the flat and over jumps and he will be in action on the all-weather at Dundalk tomorrow night.

“We were a little squeezed at the fence past the stands but apart from that it all went perfect,” he said.

“He was so brave and wouldn’t lie down without a fight. Fair play to Tom.

“He’s always been very patient with this horse and even though he was 50 to 1 the last day we were quietly confident here.”

That Ten Up win saw Lion Na Bearnai raised almost two stone in the ratings which was crucial to getting him a place in yesterday’s 29-runner marathon. It also rewarded Gibney’s long-term planning.

“He won at Punchestown last May and the national was the plan ever since. The shock came in how he got into it,” said the trainer.

“Everything went copybook today and it has been perfect since the last day he ran. I was afraid to open my mouth but everything went so right. He looked great and Andrew gave him a copybook ride,” Gibney added.

Thornton subsequently received a five-day ban from the stewards for his use of the whip.

Lion Na Bearnai is owned by the eight-member Lock Syndicate from Dublin and Meath and he was the first horse Gibney bought at the sales for €8,000 after he gave up riding.

That riding career saw Gibney win the big amateur race at the 1997 Galway festival on Noel Meade’s Saving Bond and he was also runner-up in the Kim Muir at the Cheltenham festival three years later.

However all that pales in comparison to yesterday’s success which had bookmakers purring at another big-price national winner. However given Lion Na Bearnai’s big-race record this season, they may live to regret offering 50 to 1 odds about the 10-year-old for the 2013 Aintree Grand National.

Just nine finished yesterday’s feature which was run on rain-softened ground.

The heavily-backed 8 to 1 favourite Four Commanders never really figured and was pulled up before the last fence. Groody Hill, the shortest priced of JP McManus’s five runners was pulled up before the second last.

However, yesterday’s race was very definitely not about the big battalions.

With the diminutive Lion Na Bearnai, the only thing big is his SP.