 Elliott is still coming to terms with Silver Birch's success |
Grand National winner Silver Birch has received a hero's welcome on his return home to Ireland where he was paraded at the Curragh on Sunday. The revitalised 10-year-old held off a late challenge by McKelvey to win the big race by three-quarters of a length.
Trainer Gordon Elliott is hoping Silver Birch's win will boost his fledgling career which only began 12 months ago.
He said: "Hopefully, this will put the yard on the map and give us a bit of kick-start. I still can't believe it."
Elliott, whose yard is at Trim in County Meath, added: "I didn't know what to think when McKelvey came lunging at us, but it worked out well in the end.
"It's absolutely fantastic and it couldn't have gone any better."
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Silver Birch looked to be fully recovered from his Aintree exertions and seemed to enjoy the adulation of racegoers at the County Kildare track. Elliott added: "He's absolutely fine, and will have a good summer off. We will have a look at the National again next year."
Trainer Peter Bowen expects McKelvey, who suffered a tendon injury in the process of claiming a brave second place, to make a full recovery. "It's not too serious an injury, he hasn't done a serious job on it," he said. "He'll be all right and he will be back next year.
"I was both delighted and gutted with his run. I don't want to take anything away from the winner, but the injury must have cost him the race.
"It must have cost him a couple of lengths and we weren't beaten that far."
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