Patrick, 35, is an amateur rider as a sideline to being his father’s assistant at a training establishment in County Carlow that stands head and shoulders ahead of its jump racing rivals.

Standing at 6ft 1in tall, Patrick’s height and weight of about 11st 7lb limit the rides he can take, but the rocket that is Nick Rockett proved the ideal conveyance.

“To have one horse run in the National, but then to have one your son can ride is millions, millions, millions-to-one what happened today,” said Willie.

“It is just something else to be able to leg up your son in the greatest race of all time. You dream of winning it yourself but to dream of putting your son up – when he was born I said he couldn’t be the jockey the size of him, but he’s turned out to be a fantastic jockey.”

Patrick is a student of the game, and the big race itself – devouring books on the history of this unique contest.

“I know the names of people who won the National nearly 200 years ago so to join that list is mind-blowing,” he said, after winning the 177th running.

The Jockey Club said both long-time leader Broadway Boy, a heavy faller on the second circuit, and Celebre D’Allen – who was pulled up – were walked on to horse ambulances after being assessed on course by vets and taken to the racecourse stables for further assessment.