SELKIRK trainer Stuart Coltherd claims he will never forget the longest day of his life - after his stable star upset the odds at Aintree.
The 45-year-old farmer was out of bed last Thursday at 2am to takeover lambing on his Clarilawmoor Farm.
Around 24 hours later he was just arriving home from Aintree Racecourse having landed the prestigious John Smiths Fox Hunters' Chase over the Grand national fences with Tartan Snow.
The 13-year-old was the 100/1 rank outsider for the 24-runner race on Thursday afternoon.
And despite almost unseating jockey Jamie Hamilton at Becher's Brook the star of the Selkirk yard came storming through in the final furlong to get up by a neck.
A delighted Coltherd, who completed the 350-mile round trip just after 1am the following morning, told us: "I was absolutely shattered by the time I got home but it was though I was floating - I was so happy.
"Jamie gave him a tremendous ride. I really don't know how he stayed on at Becher's.
"We were in the crowd so we had to rely on the commentary as much as the big screen to see how he was doing. I could see him staying on with a couple of fences to go and I knew he'd battle up the home straight."
Tartan Snow beat long-time leader Cool Friend by a neck with a further four lengths back to Rash Move. Only 14 of the 24 runners reached the finishing line.
As well as thousands watching from the grandstands, a television audience of around three million witnessed wild celebrations from Stuart's son Sam as the official result was announced.
The teenager acts as Stable Lad to Tartan Snow while his sister, Amy, rides the seven-times winner out most mornings.
Stuart, who has 15 horses in training just outside Selkirk, added: "Amy and Sam came down with me. We'd had horses at Aintree before but this was the first over the National fences and they'd both been excited for days. You can imagine what they were like after we won.
"Tartan Snow has been a great servant to the yard and he's been in good form lately - but it's different when you go down there and take on the big boys.
"I did have a tenner each-way on him - I hope a few other folk from the Borders also had a pound or two on him."
A decision will be made over the next few days whether to take Tartan Snow over the Irish Sea for the Fox Hunters' at the Punchestown Festival.
