Ireland’s Tiger Roll won the Grand National in a photo finish from Pleasant Company at Aintree on Saturday.
The smallest horse in the field held off a late surge in one of the closest ever finishes in the historic race which is watched by an estimated global TV audience of 600 million.
Tiger Roll is owned by Irish businessman Michael O’Leary, the chief-executive of Ryanair, and trained by Gordon Elliott, who has won his second Grand National.
Winning jockey, Ireland’s Davy Russell, was delighted to have won on the 10-1 shot after a thrilling battle down the home straight with Pleasant Company, who was 25-1.
“He’s an unbelievable horse. I’ve won this race a thousand times in my head as a child. It is amazing to have finally won it is a marvellous event,” he said.
It was an emotional win for Russell, whose mother died earlier this year.
“She was a marvellous woman, getting up at 6am to drive me around Ireland for races. She always did what was best for her children.”
Bless The Wings was third at 40-1 with Anibale Fly fourth at 10-1.