A star reborn - Timmy wins the big one to leave jail behind him

Murphy, 33, as talented a member of the Weighing Room fraternity as there is, had a drink problem which leapt on to the front pages after he assaulted a stewardess on a flight home from Japan in 2002.

By July that year, he was in Wormwood Scrubs, serving a six-month prison sentence for the offence (later reduced to three months).

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A lesser man might have disintegrated, but Murphy took the pledge, concentrated on his sublime riding talent and re-established his reputation.

Within 18 months he had signed a retainer with leading owner David Johnson.

Originally only fourth choice on the shortlist for that job, Murphy has never given Johnson cause to regret his decision.

The partnership has thrived, although former trainer Martin Pipe was never Murphy's biggest fan, preferring a more pro-active rider in the mould of Peter Scudamore and Tony McCoy.

Murphy's quiet style occasionally got him into trouble with stewards, an irony bearing in mind that, early in his career, he found himself in trouble for overuse of the whip as frustration got the better of him.

By an extraordinary coincidence, the rider of Saturday's runner-up King Johns Castle, Paul Carberry, another mercurial genius in the saddle, was also in trouble with his antics on a flight and narrowly escaped jail two years ago.

Both he and Murphy are to marry this year, and the onset of maturity may assist both in prolonging their careers in the saddle.

Murphy exhibited stunning confidence and experience in holding up the 7-1 joint favourite until halfway up the lung-bursting Aintree run-in.

He said: "It's an unbelievable feeling and, just to complete, you know you've done well. The track is a lot more horse friendly than in the past. There were a couple of loose horses out there but otherwise I had a good run."

Murphy's autobiography, published two years ago, is entitled Riding The Storm and details his battles with alcoholism.

He described himself as a "binge drinker", adding: "To be frank, in the mornings I'd be in bits."

Following his fantastic win, he refused to be drawn on his time in prison and, when asked if he had the Grand National as a goal while inside, he replied simply: "No."

He added: "The past is the past. Rock bottom is when you're dead and I never got that far."

For young trainer David Pipe, 35, only in his second season, it was a fantastic achievement to coax Comply Or Die back from a serious leg injury which necessitated nearly two years off.

It took his distinguished father 17 years to land this race, with Freddie Starr's Miinnehoma in 1994.

Modestly, Pipe Jnr admitted he had been handed some good horses when he assumed command of Pond House stables.

This win propels him back into second place in the trainers' championship, £872,000 behind leader Paul Nicholls' amazing tally.

In his second season he has won nearly £2.5million which, in any normal year, would have won the title. Pipe said: "I am lucky. I have the best assistant in the country (Martin) and I haven't got any overheads to worry about as Grandad set us up and bought the place.

"Comply Or Die was bred to jump and stay. We were always going to take our time with him. He's had lots of swimming and lives in a five-star hotel. David has been patient with him and it's paid off for him."

Ante-post favourite Cloudy Lane, contrary to the bookmakers' fears, drifted on the day and was sent off coupled with the winner at the head of the market. Never able to launch a challenge, he stayed on into an unthreatening sixth.

Trainer Donald McCain said: "He's just not very big. He jumped well enough but I think Aintree just took the sting out of him. He ran out of gas close home.

"He's a belting little horse but the frustrating part is that it's going to be much harder next year (because of his revised handicap mark)."

McCoy, whose 13th Grand National mount, Butler's Cabin, fell at Becher's second time round when going well.

Irish-trained horses were second, third and fourth in King Johns Castle — another near miss for owner JP McManus — Snowy Morning and Slim Pickings.

Irish jockeys filled the first nine places.

Hedgehunter, in his fifth National, was 13th of the 15 finishers after he was jumped into during the race. He was reportedly sore yesterday.

The one casualty of the race was Mckelvey, who unseated his rider at the 20th, ran loose and was put down after being injured in collision with the rails.