Local trainer Dermot McLoughlin has incredibly won the Irish Grand National for the second year running.
Lord Lariat was ridden to victory by jockey Paddy O'Hanlon, who lives close to the track, at odds of 40/1.
The victory comes after Ratoath trainer McLoughlin won the €500,000 contest with 150/1 shot Freewheelin Dylan 12 months ago.
Gaillard Du Mesnil was sent off the 11/2 favourite for this year's renewal and finished third under Paul Townend, with Frontal Assault finishing second, while Screaming Colours (18/1) was fourth and Early Doors (33/1) came fifth.
McLoughlin, who also enjoyed an Easter Sunday double at Fairyhouse, said of the winner: “Our plan was to jump him out, but I was a bit concerned about getting the trip.
“Obviously we wanted to get a start like we did last year and utilise his jumping as he is a good jumper. Paddy said he got plenty of breathers into him and it all worked out well.
“We’ve been aiming for this since before Christmas. He won a ladies’ race here in November when he ran away with the jockey, Joanna Walton, and she said then that he would get further.
“We’re 10 minutes down the road, there was nobody here last year but my family and everyone is here this year – it’s unbelievable.
“Paddy started off with me five or six years ago, he was going to be a Flat jockey for a while. He went over to England and tried the Flat there but had no luck and came back and rode a couple of winners for me on the Flat.
“I said ‘Paddy forget about the Flat, you’re going to be a big lad’ and he took to jumping like a duck to water. He won a couple of hurdle races and it went from there, he’s flying now.”
Here's the full result:
1st: Lord Lariat 40/1
2nd: Frontal Assault 18/1
3rd: Gaillard Du Mesnil 11/2
4th: Screaming Colours 18/1
5th: Early Doors 33/1
6th: Velvet Elvis 12/1
7th: Max Flamingo 10/1
8th: Champagne Platinum 33/1
9th: Enjoy D'Allen 18/1
10th: Diol Ker 25/1
11th: Death Duty 33/1
12th: Mister Fogpatches 14/1
13th: Time To Get Up 11/1
14th: Franco De Port 25/1
15th: Full Time Score 17/2
F Battleoverdoyen 100/1
F Run Wild Fred 17/2
UR Mount Ida 16/1
F Ronald Pump 14/1
UR Farclas 14/1
PU Off You Go 33/1
BD Fakir D'alene 22/1
PU School Boy Hours 33/1
BD Floueur 33/1
PU Ten Ten 33/1
UR Aramax 80/1
F Smoking Gun 40/1
Meanwhile, earlier on the card, last year’s winner Easy Game landed an eventful renewal of the Devenish Chase at Fairyhouse.
A field of six runners went to post for the Grade Two contest, with Easy Game a 15-2 chance to successfully defend his crown for Willie Mullins in the hands of Brian Hayes.
There was an early change to the complexion of the race after the winner’s front-running stablemate Blackbow suffered a heavy and ultimately fatal fall at the third fence, leaving another Mullins runner in Janidil in front.
The latter was the 8-11 favourite having been placed in the Irish Gold Cup and the Ryanair Chase on his last two starts, but he too crashed out in the back straight.
His exit left Cilaos Emery in the lead, but he was claimed by Easy Game between the final two fences and there were seven and a half lengths separating the pair at the line.
Mullins said: “It was a little fortuitous. I thought the horse would need the race but he finished out very well and jumped well.
“I’m very happy for Nick Peacock, the owner. It’s disappointing with Janidil falling and the other fella (Blackbow) unfortunately didn’t make it. Unfortunately that’s the ups and downs of the game.
“He is a big loss. I haven’t had a chance to talk to Paul (Townend) yet, but I’m not sure if he had a heart attack before the fence as he didn’t get up at all.”
And Darasso landed the Rathbarry & Glenview Studs Hurdle, in which Flame Bearer and Thedevilscoachman were both significant non-runners, for trainer Joseph O'Brien.
Ridden by Luke Dempsey, the blinkered nine-year-old took over the lead from Heaven Help Us early in the home straight before being challenged by the strong-travelling 3-1 favourite Santa Rossa, who was bidding to provide his trainer Dermot McLoughlin with a third winner in two days.
But Darasso refused to bend in front, galloping on strongly from the second-last and pinging the final flight to seal his six-length victory.
O’Brien said: “He’s a great horse, he turns up every day and runs his race. That’s all you can ask for.
“He’s a little bit short of Grade One level but all you can ask for is that they do their best and he’s a joy to have around.
“You can go two miles or three miles in a chase or hurdle and you kind of know what you are going to get with him. It’s very unusual for a horse to be like that.
“I’m not sure what’s in Punchestown for him. We put him in the Champion Hurdle and he might sneak around there and see what happens, but we’ll see how he comes out of today as this was his target.”
Gordon Elliott’s Iberique Du Seuil caused a minor upset in the Donohue Marquees Juvenile Hurdle.
Triumph Hurdle fourth Icare Allen was all the rage as the 4-11 favourite, but while he travelled strongly into the straight, his challenge petered out between the final two flights.
Innatendue approached the last with a narrow lead, but 12-1 shot Iberique Du Seuil joined him in the air and finished the stronger to prevail by two and a quarter lengths.
“That was great and it’s nice to get a winner. We’ve had a winner each day and it’s very important,” said Elliott.
“It’s great for Noel and Valerie (Moran, owners) at their local track. They are great supporters so it’s brilliant.
“We thought before today we’d be looking at something like the Lartigue at Listowel and I’d imagine we could look at the Galway Hurdle.”
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