David Pipe pays Comply Or Die tribute after 2008 Grand National winner dies

Tributes have been paid to Comply Or Die after the 2008 Grand National winner died over the weekend, aged 17.

Trained by David Pipe and owned by the late David Johnson, he also won the Eider Chase at Newcastle prior to his Aintree success, and then came second in the 2009 National.

Comply Or Die had been spending his retirement with Timmy Murphy, who rode him to his most famous victory.

"He was part of the furniture at home so it's very sad," Murphy told Press Association Sport.

"He gave me the greatest day of my career, obviously that can never be taken away.

"He paraded at Cheltenham and Aintree and was getting ready to do some dressage in the summer.

"I'm not actually sure how he died, to be honest, but it wasn't nice to come home to. He was cremated on Monday.

"He was a happy horse and he was also very clever."

Pipe said he was "greatly saddened" by Comply Or Die's death.

The Pond House handler told www.davidpipe.com: "He provided me with the highlight of my career to date when winning the 2008 Grand National at Aintree and ran another fantastic race when runner-up the following year.

"He was a tough, genuine and loveable horse and I was delighted to see him looking so well at the Grand National parade of former winners only last month when Gerry Supple had the privilege of getting the leg-up.

"Since his retirement he had been a lead-horse at Timmy Murphy's establishment before trying his hand at dressage, a discipline in which he had proven very successful.

"He is a horse I will always hold dear in my heart and I am greatly saddened to hear of his loss."