Carl Llewellyn said it was purely by chance he rode Run For Paddy in the Scottish Grand National to what was a fairytale first success as a trainer.

Following his dramatic short-head victory on the 33-1 chance over Ladalko in the Gala Casinos Daily Record-sponsored showpiece at Ayr, Llewellyn elected to celebrate in Manchester knowing by the time he got back to his base near Lambourn, everything would have been closed.

The jockey-trainer, who lives at Grove near Wantage, revealed that Noel Fehily and Paul Moloney had to turn down the chance to partner Run For Paddy because of other commitments.

"Noel was my first choice of jockey but he had to go to Bangor," said Llewellyn.

"Paul was my second choice, but he elected to ride at that course.

"In the end I decided to forego three rides for Nigel Twiston-Davies at the same meeting and ride him myself.

"I was happy with the way he was going throughout the race and particularly when he began creeping closer to the lead on the final circuit.

"Three out I thought we had a great chance but when we flashed past the line I wasn't sure I had won it."

Llewellyn, who took over from Mark Pitman just two weeks ago, will shortly move to Weathercock House to live and will spend the summer recruiting new owners.

He added: "We have a capacity of 79 but have 45 to come in.

"I have two or three orders but my aim is fill most of the boxes, and I will be going to the sales and generally keeping my eye out for new clients.

"At the moment, I live 20 minutes away but since taking up the job of a full-time trainer I am working 24/7 and need to be on the premises."

Llewellyn is, at the age of 40, the elder statesman of the weighing room although he insists he has no intention of retiring from riding yet.

He has a particularly good record in Grand Nationals having won the Aintree version on Party Politics and Earth Summit, the Welsh National on Bindaree and now the Scottish National on Run For Paddy.

Of the retirement question, he observed: "I enjoy my riding far too much to contemplate retiring. When you enjoy doing something why should you stop?

"The day I retire will be the day I don't enjoy it any more."

It is unlikely that Run For Paddy will run again this season.