The Grand National © Tony Fallon 041618

The Grand National © Tony Fallon 041818

I watched the Grand National Steeplechase. What a thrilling finish

As I watched the leaders big lead slowly diminish

No truer word was ever said than to the victor go the spoils

If it had been ten feet longer the runners up would have smiles

It brought me back to sixty three when at sixty six to one

After jumping flawlessly Ayala came from behind and won

That winner wasn’t popular to bet him wasn’t common

Tommy Morris and I were the only two who bet him in Roscommon

There were other great years who can forget Taffee and Draper

Their pictures were for many days in every local Irish paper

I think it was from Ballydoyle came the famous Vincent O’Brien

Who for three years in a row kept the English bookies crying?

Then Mr. Vincent O’Brien must have come to his senses

He started racing on the flat and gave up the fences

Who can forget other Irish horses? I was such a fan

I remember Quare Times Mr. What and the brave Royal Tan

Listening on the radio as they jumped Beecher’s Brook or the chair

The hair would stand on my neck when I’d hear Michael O’Heir

The Irish horses still continue to be a credit to their trainers

And to the Irish Jockeys and others little lads on retainers

To prove my point completely even though we Irish like to boast

This year we swept the table we had the first four past the post