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Horseracing

14th Apr 2018

Michael O’Leary makes surprise announcement to Ryanair passengers after Grand National win

Matthew Gault

Brilliant.

It’s not often we wish we were on a Ryanair flight but it wouldn’t be too bad right about now. Michael O’Leary, fresh from winning the Grand National on Saturday, suddenly appeared on a flight and announced a free bar for every passenger.

A video on Twitter shows O’Leary telling passengers “there’s going to be a free bar.”

The announcement was met with hearty cheers from everyone. For anyone who suffers from pre-flight nerves, it would have been music to their ears.

“Today we won the Grand National today, so, unusually on board this flight, there’s going to be a free bar,” he said.

But he wasn’t prepared to let them go to town on his generosity. Each passenger was limited to one drink, but it’s still a seriously sound gesture.

O’Leary celebrated a Grand Nationa triumph after his horse, Tiger Roll, became the champion of Aintree after a dramatic photo-finish race. Irish jockey Davy Russell rode Tiger Roll to first place, just about holding off a gallant charge from David Mullins and Pleasant Company.

O’Leary heaped praise on Russell following the race, commending the 38-year-old’s resilience and strength of character.

“He’s in a group of elite Irish jockeys, there’s Ruby Walsh, Barry Geraghty, Paul Carberry was one of them before he retired,” O’Leary said via The Guardian. “Barry and Ruby have always been champion jockeys, winning all the best races. Davy’s career has been up and down, characterised by periods of great talent and achievement but also fallow periods. And it’s the way he keeps coming back and back again.”

Cheers to Simon Donoghue for sending this our way. If you have something you would like to share with us, send it to editorial@sportsJOE.ie or hit us up on Facebook or Twitter