Trainer Gordon Elliott and owner Brian Walsh had been considering a further outing at the Punchestown Festival at the end of the month but those plans have now been shelved.

Elliott said: “We were going to run in the La Touche Cup at Punchestown, but I would not forgive myself if anything happened so he won’t be running there.

“He’s absolutely fine, ate up on Saturday night and will have a good summer off. We will have a look at the National again next year.”

Handed a picture from the racecourse as a memento, which he promptly held aloft like a trophy, the boyish-looking Elliott cuts an unlikely figure to be a Grand National-winning trainer.

But there is no doubting his skill in nursing the former injury-prone Paul Nicholls inmate back to his very best and more.

“I think sending him out hunting seemed to help, he really enjoys it,” said Elliott. “It’s been an incredible experience and I just have to thank Brian for having faith in me and letting me train the horse.

“Punchestown had originally been the plan, and races like the Pardubicka, but when we were in the National and he was so well, we thought we had to take our chance.

“We have a mixed yard of jumpers and point-to-pointers and hopefully this is just what we need to get us going now.”

A further parade of Silver Birch is planned for the Summerhill point-to-point next Sunday and Elliott added: “There’ll be one or two parties before then though!”

Aidan O’Brien had so nearly seen his nephew Tom ride the National winner aboard the Peter Bowen-trained McKelvey, who drifted right across the track in the final stages but was a rapidly-closing second in the end.

“Unbelievable, wasn’t it,” said the master Flat trainer, who memorably handled jumpers like the great Istabraq a few years ago.

“He nearly won, but I suppose the other two men needed it pretty badly too and it was great for young Robbie Power and Elliott too. You never know what will happen in racing, you can never be surprised!”