Racing: Pat Hughes ended a barren spell stretching back to November when claiming his second Powers Whiskey Irish Grand National with 20-1 outsider Point Barrow at Fairyhouse.
The veteran trainer had endured a torrid five and a half months since watching Virginia Preuil score at Punchestown but he came right back to form as his Philip Carberry-ridden eight-year-old plundered the €250,000 pot by a length.
After failing to make the frame in his five starts this term, Point Barrow was virtually ignored in the market as punters sided with prolific Thyestes winner Dun Doire, sending him off the 9-2 favourite.
But Tony Martin's charge failed to make it seven in a row and after staying on from the back of the field could only finish seventh under Mick Fitzgerald.
Hughes' charge — who had finished a distant 10th in the Thyestes but has since undergone a breathing operation — was always handily placed and took up the running four fences from home.
Oulart kept to his guns and chased the winner all the way to the line to finish second, while A New Story overcame a horse falling in front of him close home to take third, another eight lengths away. American Jennie was fourth.
"My father ran a horse in this in 1952 and I won it myself in 1986 (with Insure) so it is brilliant to do it again," said Hughes. "I have gone five and a half months without a winner and have had five placed horses in a week, so it was going to happen sometime and it has happened in the right race."
The winner was given a 25-1 quote for the John Smith's Grand National in 12 months' time, with William Hill going 25-1, and Hughes was full of praise for the winning jockey.
"Philip rode a fantastic race. I said to him not to get too far back and get him out of his ground, but I also said if he was travelling it would take a good one to beat him," he added.
Carberry, whose famous family have a long and happy association with Nationals, was enjoying his biggest career success and the 25-year-old was surprised how easily he won. "It all went so well — he got to the front going so well, he held on and it all went like a dream. It was one of the easiest races I have ever won," he said.