And through the years, I've had the good fortune to win the Grand National twice while Gordon took a chance and went training after a point-to-point career just didn't work out for him.

And now look at him - he's trained a Grand National winner at the age of 29.

Older, wiser trainers mightn't have taken a chance on Silver Birch but here he is, a rookie trainer who stuck his neck out and bought that horse even though he had an injury. He trained him up at his stables in Meath - and how ironic is it that those stables were built by the men behind one of the favourites in the race, Dun Doire? Gordon served his time under Tony Martin and it's all come good with a Grand National win. I couldn't be happier for him.

Or for the winning jockey either. Last year it was Slippers, this year it's Puppy.

Robbie Power took a big gamble a couple of years ago when he decided not to follow his father into showjumping and come racing instead. He could have been showjumping for Ireland but instead he made the brave call and came to do this. Sometimes it pays to follow your dreams, more so in the Grand National than any other race, it seems.

As for my lad, I couldn't have asked any more out of Hedgehunter. The big weight and the lack of a good run in preparation were what counted against him in the end but he gave it a right good go to finish ninth. He jumped like a stag the whole way around and I could have kissed him when, at Becher's, one fell right in front of him and he jumped it as well even though he was only just landed. He's a great horse, don't make any mistake about that and he did everything he could yesterday in what was a hard race to run in with the heat.

The week up to yesterday had been a bit of a struggle and not just because I hadn't had any winners. When Andreas stepped into the ditch and sent me flying on Thursday afternoon, it was as sore a fall as I'd had for a while. Sometimes when you and your horse come down, the horse will take some of the fall for you and a lot of the time that's part of the reason you see jockeys bouncing right back up. Well, Andreas took none of the fall on Thursday and I went slap into the ground on my chest. I didn't bounce right back up.

I was winded so badly that I couldn't get my breath for ages. My ribcage was very badly bruised and I had to give up the two rides I had left for the day because I just couldn't find a breath. I was grand to ride on Friday and yesterday because once you're out and exercising, the muscles are warmed up and you don't feel it. It's only when you stop that it pinches. Even now, a couple of days later, it hurts to inhale and it really hurts to laugh.

Not that there was a lot to laugh about until yesterday afternoon. Taranis ran okay and My Will put in a performance but like I wrote here last week, Twist Magic was the one I was looking forward to the most. And he delivered, just like I was fairly hopeful he would have delivered in the Arkle had he not come down at the second last. He travelled well and jumped beautifully and even though I thought I might have got to the front a bit too soon on him, he plugged away and got home in decent style. Keep a good eye out for him next season.

And keep a good eye out for Gordon Elliott too, this year's fairytale from the race that just keeps them coming.