Jockey Barry Geraghty claimed his first ever Boylesports Irish Grand National yesterday on Shutthefrontdoor for trainer Jonjo O’Neill and owner JP McManus.
The attendance of 16,253 was up over 1,000 on last year’s number.
The TV audience is also expected to see an uplift on the 2013 figure of nearly 450,000.
It was the first year of Boylesports’ sponsorship of the race and they hit gold having appointed Geraghty as their race ambassador in the weeks leading up to the event.
The company branding of the racecourse was added to among the crowd with the distribution of thousands of branded scarves to mark the occasion though they were only decorative as the sun shone and temperatures hit nearly 20 degrees.
Taoiseach Enda Kenny was present to meet with all the jockeys before the race and to present the trophy afterwards alongside John Boyle of the sponsors.
“Racing is central to the Irish personality,” he said before stepping up to the presentation podium.
“It is a very important element of what we are as a nation and a crucial part of how we are seen by others in the world.”
“I am delighted to be here again and to represent Government at one of the great sporting events of the year.”
Geraghty lives almost right beside the racecourse and it had been his ambition since childhood to ride the winner, something his brother had already done but he had missed out on despite a career at the very top of the sport.
He stepped in for Champion Jockey Tony McCoy on Champion Hurdle winner Jezki last month and it was McCoy’s misfortune, this time through suspension that enabled him take the winning ride yesterday as well.
The atmosphere at Fairyhouse was excellent, bouyed by the big race winner being a well backed favourite. It was a day for fashion as well as sport and Carton House was back as the sponsor of the Most Stylish Race goer, a prize that went to Catherine Lundon from Westmeath.
