'I didn't know what to do with so much money' - the National wins built on fruit

Long before Vincent O'Brien's six Derby wins he achieved the remarkable feat of winning the Grand National three years in succession with Early Mist in 1953, Royal Tan in 1954 and Quare Times in 1955. The first two were owned by fellow Irishman 'Lucky' Joe 'Mincemeat' Griffin, and the celebration Griffin led at Liverpool's Adelphi hotel after Early Mist's success was without equal, which took some doing.

Before the guest list was expanded to, as Griffin recalled, "whoever was there, Irish or anyone else", there was a formal dinner. The dinner cost Griffin £1,500 (about £45,000 today), partly because he had bay prawns and asparagus flown in from France.

Later, in Dublin, a civic reception was laid on for Early Mist and Griffin, with both paraded along O'Connell Street to the Mansion House, where the lord mayor, Andy Clarkin, held a reception for them. There were yet more parties in the Gresham Hotel and Kilcoran Lodge Hotel near O'Brien's home, with poker games around the clock, paused for trips to the races.