Comply Or Die ~ 2008 Grand National WInner
The photo above shows jockey Timmy Murphy on board Grand National winner 'Comply Or Die' shortly after the 2008 race finished, also pictured is trainer David Pipe.
Comply or Die is the thoroughbred racehorse which won the 2008 Grand National and finished second in the 2009 race. On 5th April 2008 The 7-1 joint favourite Comply Or Die won four lengths ahead of King Johns Castle (20-1), ridden by Paul Carberry, with Snowy Morning (16-1) a further length-and-a-half back in third. Slim Pickings came in fourth.
The nine-year-old's victory cost William Hill bookmakers in excess of £7 million, jockey Timmy Murphy said "I can't believe it yet, it's the best ride I've ever had over these fences," The 2008 race was Murphy's 12th attempt at the Grand National. "He got into a lovely rhythm and he jumped fantastic, he picked up again when Paul (Carberry) came at me."
Jockey ~ Timmy Murphy
Timmy Murphy is the Irish jockey who has consistently featured in the leading Jump Jockey tables in recent years, and was runner-up to Tony McCoy for the Championship in 2004-5.
Before his Grand National win Timmy's biggest victories had been the Ryanair Chase on 'Our Vic' and Newbury’s Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup on 'Ever Blessed'. As a boy Timmy raced ponies in Ireland, and is also a former Irish point-to-point champion. He now rides regularly for David Pipe and Peter Montieth, with whom his retainer David Johnson keeps the majority of his horses
Trainer ~ David Pipe
David Pipe is the son Martin Pipe CBE, fifteen times champion National Hunt trainer, and the most successful racehorse trainer in the United Kingdom. The son of a West-Country bookmaker, Martin Pipe was an amateur jockey before turning his attention to training in 1974.
Martin Pipe also won the Grand National in 1994 with Miinnehoma (owned by TV comedian Freddie Starr) although David points out that it took Dad 19 years to achieve his National victory.
David said "I had slightly better ammunition than what he started off with," said David Pipe, in reference to his father taking 19 years to train a National winner compared to his success in his second season. "I can't really describe it. It's great for everyone, for the whole team. We couldn't do any of it without them.
"I've had a great teacher in my father, David Johnson has been brilliant and Timmy gave him a fantastic ride - there's no feeling like it."
