Jim Culloty has paid credit to his mount Bindaree after winning the Grand National.

The Irishman completed a rare Gold Cup-National double but admitted that he thought the chance had gone on the run-in.

Richard Johnson and What's Up Boys came up and galloped through at The Elbow, but Bindaree fought back to take the winning post.

Favourite Blowing Wind, ridden by Tony McCoy, came home in third for the second successive year.

Kingsmark and Ruby Walsh completed the places 36 lengths behind Culloty and Bindaree.

He got me out of jail at the last - he's a brilliant jumper Culloty on Bindaree

"When the second horse came by us I thought "Jesus, we're beat!" Culloty said of the frenetic finish when What's Up Boys threatened to take the win.

"But Bindaree's as brave as they come, he stuck his neck out and went down the rails.

"I couldn't in my wildest dreams ever think about winning the National.

"In an ideal world I would have wanted to up the tempo from three out, but with the loose horse I was having a nightmare.

"However, he (Bindaree) got me out of jail at the last - he's a brilliant jumper."

Culloty, who had never before managed to finish the world's greatest steeplechase, was only guaranteed a ride aboard Bindaree earlier in the week when Jamie Goldstein was injured.

"I feel for Jamie," Culloty added.

"It's bad enough having a broken leg, but to miss a race like that is every jockey's nightmare."

Trainer Nigel Twiston-Davies' thoughts were with Goldstein and also Philip Hobbs, trainer of the second-placed grey What's Up Boys.

"We're very pleased and they did a good job," Twiston-Davies said of his second National winner following Earth Summit's victory in 1998.

"I couldn't see much of the race and I was watching with Philip Hobbs. I'm gutted for him, but delighted for me."

We gave the winner a lot of weight and you can't take anything away from my horse Richard Johnson

Jockey Richard Johnson's anguish at having to settle for second was tempered by the fact that, like Culloty, it was also his first National finish.

"I was happy to get round for the first time but it was annoying to be caught on the line," he said.

"He gave me a good ride and he'll be back next year.

"When I got after him we flew, but we gave the winner a lot of weight and you can't take anything away from my horse."

For McCoy, finishing third for the second year in succession on Blowing Wind was something of a setback.

"I was a bit disappointed because after last year I thought he was the perfect National horse," McCoy said.

"He's such a good jumper and so intelligent, but looking back he was happier on the soft ground last year than he was this time round."