Murphy's day of redemption as Comply Or Die lands the Grand National

It was the defining moment in an extraordinary career which so nearly ended in self-destruction six years ago.

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Murphy, 33, delivered the ultimate prize in jump racing at Aintree on the 7-1 joint favourite, who stayed on willingly to deny a trio of Irish challengers led by the handsome grey, King Johns Castle.

Murphy's was a command performance.

But his life as a jockey appeared to be in terminal decline when he was jailed for six months in July 2002 after a drunken rampage on a flight home from Japan.

For many sportsmen it could have been the end. The shame of his punishment hurt more than he can ever say but he was encouraged in his desire to make a comeback by the constant support of his fellow jockeys who visited him whenever possible.

On his release from prison, Murphy picked himself up, turned his back on alcohol and set himself on a course that gained its ultimate reward on the greatest stage that jump racing has to offer.

He subsequently wrote a book called Rock Bottom on his ordeal.

Asked yesterday if he had, indeed, reached rock bottom, he replied: "No. Rock bottom is when you are dead and I haven't got that far, thank God. The past is in the past and if I dragged it up every day I would never go forward.

"Obviously, winning the National is the highlight of any jockey's career and it is very, very special to me. My main concern was the first fence and I made sure he popped it. He did get a bit close to the second and then he got into a nice rhythm.

"I usually like to sit and wait as long as I can, so I hung on to him because I was determined not to be there too soon. Once over the last I started getting at him and at The Elbow I decided the time had come to finish it.

"I was worried to see it was Paul Carberry chasing me on King Johns Castle, because he's the one jockey you do not want to see creeping up behind you."

Murphy acknowledged the unwavering advice of leading owner Johnson, who signed him up in 2004 to ride his team of horses spread among an ever increasing band of trainers.

Johnson has spent several fortunes on his passion for racing but there have been plenty of setbacks along the way.

"I've lost a few horses in this race and I am so pleased that they have made the fences a bit kinder than they used to be," he said.

The record-breaking champion trainer Martin Pipe, now retired, and and his successor, his son David, have been at the forefront of Johnson's success.

It was David Pipe, in his second season with a licence, who delivered the dream result for him yesterday.

Martin Pipe, who won in 1994 with Miinnehoma, was the first to congratulate his son.

He said: "It took me ages before I landed the big one. It's wonderful that David has done it right at the start of his career."

Pipe senior and junior thus matched the feat of Tom and Fred Rimell, who both trained winners of the National. David Pipe said: "This is obviously the pinnacle of any trainer's career. I am proud to have emulated my dad.

"This horse looked tailor-made for the race after winning the Eider [Chase at Newcastle on his last start in February]. I thought there was every chance he would take to Liverpool. He had schooled really well at home earlier in the week."

Murphy and Comply Or Die were close to the leading bunch in a race chock full of incident. All 40 runners were standing after the first fence but soon the casualties began to mount.

Iron Man, L'Ami, Tumbling Dice and Fundamentalist were among the first to depart.

They were joined on the sidelines at Becher's Brook by No Full and soon Kelami and Madison Du Berlais were out of the race, too.

A wave of tightly-packed horses headed to The Chair after a circuit with Mr Pointment, D'Argent, Simon, Snowy Morning, Chelsea Harbour, Idle Talk and rank outsider Milan Deux Mille all vying for the lead.

A few lengths back, Murphy could be seen stalking them with clinical intent on the blinkered Comply Or Die, who travelled throughout with eye-catching ease. He even allowed his mount to ease briefly into the lead going to Becher's second time.

But Murphy is like one of those canny card players who hates showing his hand and soon he reined back Comply Or Die to conserve his energy for the closing stages.

This allowed Snowy Morning, Bewleys Berry and Chelsea Harbour to each enjoy their own short-lived moment of glory at the head of affairs, but Murphy was clearly toying with them and once he loosened Comply Or Die going to the last fence, the result was never in doubt.

King Johns Castle flattered briefly on the flat, but Comply Or Die was in full flow by now and saw off the threat by four lengths, with Snowy Morning third ahead of Slim Pickings.

There was crushing disappointment again for champion jockey Tony McCoy, whose race ended prematurely once more when his mount, Butler's Cabin, came down at Becher's Brook second time when holding a prominent position.

GRAND NATIONAL - Aintree 4.15

1 Comply Or Die (T J Murphy) 7-1 Jt Fav

2 King Johns Castle (P Carberry) 20-1

3 Snowy Morning (D J Casey) 16-1

4 Slim Pickings (B J Geraghty) 10-1

40 ran

Also: 7-1 Jt Fav Cloudy Lane

CSF: £148.57

Tricast: £2268.11