Papillon landed a massive gamble to win today's Martell Grand National and in the process gave Ireland their second successive trained winner of the legendary race after Bobbyjo's triumph last year.
The Ted Walsh-trained star was quoted at 33/1 by most major layers this morning but was heavily backed, right up to the off of the four and a half mile race, eventually being returned at 10/1.
The triumphant Papillon finished ahead of Mely Moss in 2nd place, Nikki Dee in third and Brave Highlander who had run an impressive race to finish fourth. Bookmakers have estimated losses of around £10 million on the winner.
From the off, 20-year-old Irish Champion jockey Ruby Walsh, riding in his first ever Grand National, settled Papillon in a comfortable position on the shoulders of the early leaders and tidily maintained this spot around the first circuit.
Race favourite Star Traveller put in a bold front running performance before being forced to pull up lame four fences from home while last year's winner Bobbyjo was unlucky not to come home closer than his eleventh place finish.
Paul Carberry's mount made a dreadful blunder at the Foinavon face on the first circuit but acrobatics from Carberry enabled him to stay in the plate. Again Bobbyjo was blessed, somehow managing to stay standing after the prominent Esprit De Cotte fell at Bechers Brook on the second circuit badly hampering last year's winner.
Lucky Town, another Irish trained runner, ran a much better race than his eighth place finish might suggest. The Enda Bolger-trained gelding had raced upsides Star Traveller, Esprit De Cotte and Papillon for the two circuits but the nine-year-old tired approaching the second last and failed to stay in the closing stages.
Micko's Dream, trained by Willy Mullins and ridden by Jason Titley had been attracting significant interest prior to the race, however, the Irish horse was one of five fallers at the first fence.
After the tragic death of Betty's Boy, Norman Williamson had a tough decision as to which horse he would take the ride on but Mely Moss proved to be a suitable substitution.
Mely Moss, who finished second behind the classy Elegant Lord in the Foxhunters last year, tracked cautiously round the first circuit avoiding incident. It was only after jumping Valentines Brook on the second circuit that Williamson moved into a challenging position.
With four fences left to jump, any number of horses were in with a chance. Papillon, Melly Moss, Lucky Town, Niki Dee, the ever improving Hollybank Buck and the 50/1 outsider Brave Highlander all featured.
Papillon and Mely Moss opened up a three length gap approaching the last, making the race their own. Jumping side by side, Papillon came away the better and set towards the elbow with a length advantage over Mely Moss.
Papillon drifted slightly right on the run in allowing Mely Moss to take the rails and mount another challenge. But under heroic driving from Ruby Walsh, Papillon held on to land the £217, 450 first prize for owner Betty Maxwell Moran.
'It is a fairytale race. It must be a huge price against a father and son winning the race, and an even bigger price against that happening in back to back years like it has done with us and the Carberry's', quipped a delighted Ted Walsh.
Walsh continued: 'When I won the Triumph Hurdle with Commanche Court that was the best day of my life. Cheltenham is the greatest meeting in the world, but the National is the greatest race in the world'.
'This horse can be a bit of a monkey. Sometimes last year some of the jockeys thought he should have a pair of blinkers, but when I tried them on him he ran even worse. '
'He was very disappointing at the start of this season and then when I found a cross country race in which he had 28lb in hand of his nearest rival he looked like an even bigger mule. But today is just something else'.
Winning jockey Ruby Walsh was understandably overjoyed. 'The race went super for me. I was able to get a possy straight from the start and though he was a bit keen over the first two he soon settled into a rhythm'.
Walsh jnr added: I was tracking Paul Carberry on Bobbyjo when he made a mistake at the fence after Bechers and then I went and joined up with Richard Johnson (on Star Traveller)'
'I just had to keep going at the gallop I was going. I could never get rid of Mely Moss, he was a real thorn in my side but my fellow has run on really well, all the way to the line.'
Most of this season has been a nightmare for the Champion jockey.
'I broke my collarbone early on and I was only back a few days when I broke my leg in the Pardubice. I came back in January and then had a fall schooling which opened the fracture again.'
Only 17 of the 40 runners managed to finish the race but thankfully there was no repeat of the tragic scenes of Thursday and Friday where five horses died.
Papillon is due to fly back to Ireland at midnight tonight with the Walsh family due to arrive back home in Kill, County Kildare at lunch-time tomorrow.
