Timmy Murphy was the forgotten jockey after the Aintree Grand National, but back home in Ireland yesterday he felt the full glare of the winning spotlight when Davids Lad landed the Irish equivalent.

Murphy rode Smarty to be second to Red Marauder at Liverpool last month and the Co Kildare-born rider's accomplishment in picking his way through the mucky carnage was overshadowed somewhat by the focus on the winner and the dramatic race itself.

But there was no danger of that at Fairyhouse yesterday as the Tony Martin-trained Davids Lad won the Powers Gold Label Irish Grand National at 10 to 1 and set off some raucously happy scenes in the winners' enclosure.

The 25 to 1 outsider, Rathbawn Prince, was a length and a half back in second, having led over the last fence, and Sheltering was third; but the heavily backed favourite, Foxchapel King, faded from the turn-in and managed only sixth.

"This makes up for the second in the English National," said Murphy, who had 54 winners in Britain last season. "Davids Lad is a bit of a character but he jumped brilliantly and all I had to do was steer him."

Murphy continued the modesty by crediting the success to Martin, who trains locally; and the winning Eddie Joe Syndicate drank from the occasion with a joyful thirst.

The four-strong syndicate includes members from Dublin and Meath, but the centre of activity is the Eddie Joe pub in Templemore, Co Tipperary.

The winning trophy was presented by An Taoiseach Bertie Ahern to the pub owner, Eddie Moran, who owned the first winner trained by Martin. However, Davids Lad is his biggest winner and the £81,500 first prize more than doubled the horse's earning from seven previous victories.

Three of those had come in Britain, and Martin had been preparing Davids Lad for Cheltenham's Kim Muir Trophy in March when the foot-and-mouth crisis struck.

"Since then it has been very stop-start with the horse but I was quite happy with him today, and for a novice he has put in a great performance. He's a big raw horse who should improve again and on that kind of ground the English National could be a possibility in time," said Martin.

It was jumping that took David Lad from the rear of the field to creep into contention before the turn-in. Rathbawn Prince took over from the Sheltering and looked set to spring a surprise in the straight.

"He almost travelled too well because we were worried about him getting the trip. But he was really bouncing and has improved again from when he won here last week," Murphy added.

Martin said: "We only decided on Wednesday to let him take his chance, because it was only then the weather looked like improving. If the ground had been what it was last week we wouldn't have run him in the National. I think we will allow him to rest on his laurels for the summer and give him a break."

Rathbawn Prince was conceding 13lb to the winner and was a gallant runner-up.