In keeping with our reduced circumstances this year, Ireland's latest Cheltenham Gold Cup winner had only two legs rather than the usual four.
With the horse being French-bred and English-trained, all we could do was claim the jockey. But a certain amount of pride was justified. In making sure that Kauto Star kept all of his legs under him over Cheltenham's brutal fences, Ruby Walsh had strengthened his case to be the finest horseman in these islands.
The roar that greeted him when he stepped forward to receive his trophy from Princess Anne was as loud as the one that, moments earlier, had greeted the return of the horse. This was not just the sound of relieved punters who, in the race that mattered most, had finally won a round with the bookies. It was tribute to Walsh's popularity and his status as a hero among heroes in this hard sport.
It's a mixed blessing being called Ruby. On the one hand it makes for instant recognition and puts you in the select group of sports stars who don't require a surname. On the other hand, like a boy named Sue, a boy named Ruby needs to be tough.
Luckily this one has all the qualities that Kipling had in mind when he set out his definition of a man: not least an ability to keep his head when all around him are losing theirs (and blaming it on the jockey).
As well as the Gold Cup prize itself yesterday, there was a £1 million bonus riding on Kauto Star's victory, a horse known for the occasional, and serious, jumping mistake. But if he felt the pressure beforehand, Ruby did not betray it.
"There's two possible outcomes - he'll jump or he'll fall," was his typically cool response when asked for the umpteenth time about his mount's fragility.
After steering him nervelessly to victory, via the traditional last-fence blunder, Ruby would have been excused triumphalism. Instead he was just as classy as the horse, and twice as foot-sure.
The emotion of the moment was clear in the bearhug from his father Ted, and the tearful kisses of wife Gillian. But in a series of interviews Ruby refused to rise to the detractors. "Everybody has an opinion about racing," he said. "Will the horse stand up? Will he get the trip? It puts a bit of pressure on us. But it's what makes the sport so interesting."
Kauto Star's success was badly needed by favourite backers, who had already been through the wringer for the fourth day this week. Festival Friday opened with the JCB Triumph Hurdle, which sounded like a cue for punters to dig themselves into an even deeper hole than they were already in. There were no actual JCBs available. But Ireland's last alleged "banker" of the week handed us a shovel, and we went to work with renewed enthusiasm.
Already a well-backed 4-1 favourite, Lounaos was pushed to 7-2 before the race. And then, sure enough, she was beaten. The best Irish finisher in the race was a horse called J'y Vole, owned by the Hammer and Trowel Syndicate from Leitrim. The trowel part of the syndicate - bricklayer Sean Deane - explained that the filly's name was French for "I fly". And that sounded like good advice for anyone who could still get a seat on the next Ryanair plane out of Birmingham.
Wichita Lineman struck a blow for the customers in the next one, when he gave Tony McCoy - still looking like a ghost after his wasting exercise on Thursday - his first win of the festival. But the circumstances of the victory reminded anyone with a heart that there were more important things than money.
The race came down to a thrilling duel between McCoy and Ruby Walsh, who on Black Harry threatened to give Ireland its fifth win. Then, at the last hurdle, the exhausted Black Harry had a sickening fall, which looked to have broken his neck. The horse was flat on the ground. The screens went up around him. When he later emerged and trotted away, apparently unharmed, there was a big cheer.
After first waiting to see that the animal was all right, Ruby walked back to the weigh-room. On the way there, he also waited to shake hands with the still-mounted McCoy, his countryman and rival, who had finally broken his duck.
Ruby had nearly met with disaster. He would later meet with triumph. But like the man he is, he treated the twin impostors with the same unflappable politeness.