GRAND NATIONAL winner Sam Waley-Cohen paid an emotional tribute to his brother Thomas, who died from cancer aged 20.
Amateur Waley-Cohen, 39, earned his biggest ever win in the Aintree showpiece, in the final race of his career.
The millionaire dental businessman – who is close friends with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge – rode 50-1 shot Noble Yeats to a shock victory at Aintree.
In a pulsating finish against favourite 15-2 Any Second Now, Waley-Cohen kept finding more and more on the horse owned by his dad Robert.
And moments after crossing the line, he was quick to remember his tragic brother Thomas.
Waley-Cohen, who previously won the Cheltenham Gold Cup 11 years ago, said: “That it’s beyond words. It’s a fairy tale, it’s a fantasy. Just full of love, happiness and gratefulness.
READ MORE
“I do think Thomas is sitting on my back, I ride with his name in my saddle.
“These days are family days, and you couldn’t make it up, could you?
“To Dad, unwavering belief and love, over 23 years, never a cross word, never nothing but a dream.
“To my wife, long-suffering, they aren’t all good days, there are bad days in this sport but she’s always there to support me.”
JOIN SUN VEGAS: GET A FREE £10 BONUS WITH 100s OF GAMES TO PLAY AND NO DEPOSIT REQUIRED (Ts&Cs apply)
Thomas sadly passed away in 2004, days after his 20th birthday.
That came after nearly ten years battling bone cancer.
The youngster had his leg amputated as a teenager but still went skydiving with Sam on his 18th birthday.
In the first seven years after Thomas’ death, jockey Sam helped raise more than £1million for a new Children’s Hospital in Oxford, where a ward bears Thomas’ name, and is an ambassador for The Bone Cancer Research Trust.
