SPEAKING of the Boylesports Irish Grand National, last Monday’s renewal was one of those stories that had a good ending. It was some ride by Ger Fox on Rogue Angel, it took some bottle from the rider to kick into a clear lead from flagfall and set out to make all.

It is difficult to remember the last horse to lead all the way in an Irish National. Even Desert Orchid had to give best over the first four fences to Bold Flyer. It could have been Tied Cottage in 1979. Tied Cottage always made all.

It was great for Ger Fox, a local lad, still a conditional rider, to land an Irish Grand National, and it was great for Gigginstown House, 10 days after Don Cossack’s Gold Cup win, 12 months after their Thunder And Roses/Rule The World 1-2 in the Irish National. But most of all, it was great for Mouse Morris.

Not because, in last year’s renewal, on the run to the final fence it looked like Mouse was going to have the 1-2 with Band Of Blood and Rule The World, but because last summer, he suffered the tragic loss of his son Christopher to carbon monoxide poisoning. Monday’s result was laced with every emotion on the spectrum. There could not have been a more popular winner.