3.55 3m. 5f. 5-y-o plus23 Ran
Powers Whiskey Irish Grand National S´ch (Grade A) of €250,000.00 5-y-o plus

1st - €141,500.00, 2nd - €50,000.00, 3rd - €25,000.00, 4th - €10,000.00, 5th - €7,500.00, 6th - €5,000.00 , 7th - €2,500.00, 8th - €2,500.00, 9th - €2,500.00, 10th - €2,500.00 23 Ran

Despite being seven pounds out of the handicap, Hear The Echo was a convincing winner of this years renewal of the most prestigious handicap on these shores.

He came into this race an un-fancied outsider but his run in the Paddy Power when he finished just over eight lengths behind Newbay Prop was a creditable effort even if Mouse Morris described it as ?disappointing."

Paddy Flood was doing the steering on the seven year old who jumped like a buck and travelled every yard of the journey on this good to yielding ground and despite hitting the front four out he stayed on well and never saw another rival from there on in.

Aintree is most certainly the plan. He would have went there for the National in a fortnight over this race but he didn't get in and his attentions will be focussed on the 2009 renewal with Morris describing him as a ?real National type horse." A season ending run at Punchestown is to be considered by connections.

Well backed in the ante post books was Royal County Star but he was a drifter on the day after it was revealed he had a minor hiccup in the run up to the race (stonebruise). Trainer Tony Martin is adamant that had no effect on his charge's performance and he went as far to say that he needs just three-miles. He did jump out to his left a lot of the way but at the end of the day was just no match for the winner.

The longer trip was a real suiting factor for Notre Pere who ran a great race in third. A Grade 1 winning novice back at Christmas on similar ground, conditions seemed to be ideal for this fellow and there will be plenty of more big days to come from this one for the famous Dreaper team.

Michael Hourigan saddled two here with the ever popular top weight Beef Or Salmon never really getting into contention and he was pulled up by Tom Doyle but Hourigan's other responsibility was A New Story who like the winner was seven pounds wrong at the weights but ran a good race to follow on from his recent third over the banks at Cheltenham a fortnight earlier.

He is another who would look an ideal candidate for Aintree but he will be 11-next year and possibly the cross country race at Punchestown may be a more immediate target.

Ballycullen Boy travelled well for a long way but probably just failed to stay the trip while the only faller of the race was Alexander Taipan and unfortunately it was a fatal one.

Joint favourite Cailin Alainn received a kick from the fall of Alexander Taipan and she was then pulled up before six out when bleeding badly from the nose.

Denis Hickey trainer of Ballistraw reported that his charge scoped abnormal post race.