Rule The World parades through Mullingar

Rule The World was the toast of Mullingar in Co Westmeath as the Crabbie's Grand National winner paraded through the streets on Sunday afternoon.

A crowd of well over 1,000 flocked to see the Mouse Morris-trained nine-year-old - who could have run his last race - following his performance under teenage rider David Mullins at Aintree.

With most vantage points taken, gardai stopped the traffic as the star attraction arrived in a black horsebox preceded by a couple of Range Rovers, before making his way up and down the main street, then into the nearby park.

In a town that can boast One Direction's Niall Horan and fellow musician Bressie (Niall Breslin) as natives, as well as singer Joe Dolan, hugely popular in the 70s and 80s, many people did their best to get photographs and selfies with the new hero and the famous National trophy.

Catriona Quirke, aged 12, said: "We have Niall Horan and Bressie and now Rule The World is in Mullingar. It's the best town in Ireland!"

Her brother Rory added: "The winner of the biggest race in the world is coming and I want to see him."

Fellow resident Mick O'Brien, 72, said: "I've been backing horses since I was a boy, but I've never seen a real life National winner in the flesh. This is a great day for the town."

Rule The World's owner, Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary, said: "We'll see how he comes out of the race in the next couple of days, there isn't much left for him this season.

"Punchestown would obviously be the next outing, but we'll let Mouse decide in the next couple of weeks whether he runs in Punchestown or not.

"As I said yesterday, my only concern is the horse is now nine, he has suffered two pelvic fractures over the last three or four years and he has suffered a lot of injuries - I would be conscious now having had a Grand National winner not to do anything that would endanger him or threaten him or run the risk of pelvic injury.

"We'll sit down and think about it over the summer, if I had my way I'd like to retire him, but I think in this case we'll let Mouse decide what he wants to do and I know Mouse will make the right decision by the horse.

"If he wants to train him on next year, then we'll train on. If not, we'll retire him and mind him and look after him for the rest of his life in Gigginstown."

For his part, Mullins was still on cloud nine as he said: "I was confident enough in the horse and was just hoping for a bit of luck really. Thankfully everything went to plan.

"Coming across the Melling Road I got a shout from Davy Russell. I can't remember exactly what he said, but I smiled a bit to myself and was then annoyed with myself for smiling, as there were still some big green fences in front of me and I was thinking about it already.

"That was the first feeling I got it might happen, but it wasn't until after the line I realised I'd done it."