Grand National 2021: NI silversmith designs winner's trophy

Cara Murphy, from Hillsborough, designed the Grand National 2021 winning trophy

It is the world's most famous horse race and Northern Ireland will be represented on the winner's podium no matter who comes first.

That is because the trophy presented to the winning jockey in the 2021 Grand National has been created by a silversmith from Hillsborough.

Cara Murphy was commissioned by sponsors Randox to design the prize for the big race at Aintree on Saturday.

She told BBC News NI the responsibility had caused her some "sleepless nights".

Key workers acknowledged

Ms Murphy is a renowned silversmith and her work is in many museums and galleries.

But designing the trophy for the Grand National was a special commission and she wanted to make it reflect current events in health and science.

"It's a piece that is looking very much towards the future, and that's why it's rising up," she said.

"As Randox are a diagnostic company I think that's what I wanted to ensure with the design that I was looking at.

"I was looking at all those parts that make up that in terms of the double helix and the molecular structure.

"There are also coronavirus engraved on the base.

"They're not overly obvious, but they are there and that was a very important element to include, because obviously in years to come we'll look back and see this was the year we were in and it has been a very, very difficult year for everybody."

The trophy also acknowledges the contribution of key workers during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Ms Murphy designed the trophy with coronavirus engraved on the base and an acknowledgement to keyworkers

Ms Murphy said designing such an important piece, which will be seen around the world, could be quite daunting.

"It takes time in terms of the initial concept and the sleepless nights and the 'what am I going to do?'," she said.

Craftmanship

"In the actual manufacture of it, you're looking at silver from a flat sheet or from wire or from rod and then hammering it and fabricating it; silversmithing a process which is thousands and thousands of years old."

She said how she works today is really not that much different to years ago.

"If you go to the Ulster Museum and you look at the work there, we're using the same processes," she said.

"We're not a snap to grid quick-fix, it does take time.

"It's a very dirty process, there's a lot of hammering involved and there's a lot of craftsmanship involved in the process."

Second time lucky

Ms Murphy is relieved to be given a second chance in the Grand National.

She had designed the trophy for the 2020 race, but at the last minute the race was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.

"I was so excited to be given the commission and I just thought this is amazing, this is fantastic," she remembers, "especially as the Grand National is watched by millions around the world.

"I'd worked very closely with Randox on last year's trophy and it was a huge 50cm diameter plate that I was thinking, 'yeah, they're going to stand and hold it up, it's going to be so exciting'.

"The trophy was designed, the trophy was made, the trophy was photographed, the trophy went to Aintree - and then that was it.

"I suppose we all know that the full stop that happened to the world was scary for us all."

But as her new 2021 trophy will be on display to millions on Saturday will she be having a bet on the big race?

"I don't normally," she laughs, "but I am this year."

"I'm going to put a bet on Rachel Blackmore and she's running on Minella Times, so I am going to put a bet on because she did so well at Cheltenham."