Counter Punch carried the biggest weight of a Grand National winner for 40 years when he mastered 67kg for his second successive win in the race at Riccarton on Saturday.
Counter Punch became the first dual winner since another Mark Oulaghan-trained jumper, Deecee Seven, in 1997-98.
Counter Punch is an 11yr-old, the same age as Deecee Seven in his second win. Deecee Seven did not race again.
Oulaghan said Counter Punch would now be spelled and prepared for the Grand National meeting next year.
"He just likes Riccarton," Oulaghan said.
Counter Punch has also numbered two Koral Steeplechases and a Homeby Steeplechase among his five wins from six starts over Riccarton country.
He won the 2007 Grand National Hurdles. His overall record is 13 wins and 11 placings in 54 starts for $257,266 for owners Oulaghan, Aroha Duncan and Jim Speedy, of Feilding, and Michael Ormsby, of Hastings.
Oulaghan bought Counter Punch for $6000 as a 2yr-old at the 2002 South Island sale after Miniskirt won a $20,000 race at the Grand National meeting six days earlier for the same owners. The son of Yamanin Vital and Tripartite was offered by North Taieri breeders Brian and Lorraine Anderton.
Oulaghan paid $6000 for a Gallant Guru colt out of Shez The Girl (by Yamanin Vital) offered by the Andertons at the South Island sale on Friday.
A bigger weight has not been carried by a National winner since Robert Earl carried 68kg in his second win in the race in 1971. Counter Punch carried 4kg above the minimum. Robert Earl carried 11kg above the minimum.
Deecee Seven carried 5kg above the minimum in his second win.
Oulaghan has equalled the record of Ken Browne with his four training wins in the National. Browne won with Regal Mink (1978), Charlestown (1981) and Crown Star (1985-86). He also rode his winners.
Isaac Lupton, who has ridden Counter Punch in both his wins, also won the National on Gauchito Bastado in 2007. The 32-year-old, who has been working on the wharf to supplement his income, will continue his association with another grand jumper, Hypnotize, in the Pakuranga Hunt Cup at Ellerslie next Saturday. The combination won the Pakuranga Cup-Great Northern Steeplechase double in 2007, 2008 and 2010.
Hypnotize is also by Yamanin Vital.
Lindisfarne was destroyed after he fell heavily and fractured his pelvis at the second of the stand double on the second round on Saturday.
His rider, Paul Hamblin, sustained concussion and a gash to his cheek which required stitching. The incident caused the field to be guided around the last fence to avoid the fallen horse and rider. Lindisfarne won the Homeby Steeples and Great Western at Riverton in 2010 for Invercargill owner-trainer John Yeo.
