He was owned through the first part of his career by Paul Barber and Des Nichols, then from 2006 by Brian Walsh[1] from County Kildare, Ireland,[2] a farmer and stud owner.
[1] Ridden by Robbie Power and trained by 29-year-old Gordon Elliott,[3] Silver Birch was the winner of the 2007 John Smith's Grand National at Aintree Racecourse, run on Saturday 14 April 2007.
[5] Silver Birch had previously won the Becher Chase at Aintree and the Welsh National in 2004 trained by Paul Nicholls, ridden by Ruby Walsh, for owners Des Nichols and Paul Barber who had seen him as a potential Grand National horse from his early hurdling days.
[6] He had been an early favourite in the betting coming into the 2005 Grand National under the champion trainer (Paul Nicholls), but a leg injury ruled him out from the race.
Silver Birch also participated in 2009 Grand National, once again under Robbie Power, but fell at Becher's Brook on the second circuit.