Inside Track: Oscar’s wild jump at The Chair puts paid to our National hopes

Our Grand National hope didn’t go so well. Indeed, for the first mile or so of the spectacular, it seemed that Oscar’s Brother wasn’t even in the field.

Not a mention of the McManus horse, even though there were times when the commentators went through the field, telling us where this runner and that were placed.

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His first mention – at least to Inside Track’s ears – was when the Tipperary-trained gelding came down at one of the circuit’s most famous jumps, The Chair.

It’s not nice to see your dough go out the window with a fall, and even worse when news of the toss is the first mention of your hopeful.

The best we can offer – for putting thousands of you on a loser, I’m sure – is that Oscar carried the same colours as the winner, the second and the fourth.

They’re the most famous in National Hunt racing, green and gold, and are the owner’s nod to his Limerick club, South Liberties.

JP McManus wrote himself into the record books on Saturday, I Am Maximus, the winner, giving him his fourth success in the race. The same horse triumphed two years ago, making him the first since the mighty Red Rum to regain his title.

Before that, McManus won with Don’t Push It, Tony McCoy’s only success, and Minella Times, with the record-breaking Rachael Blackmore aboard.

It was also Willie Mullins’ fourth win, putting him at the top of the trainers’ table alongside Red Rum’s handler, Donald McCain, and Fred Rimell.

He also became the first since the great Vincent O’Brien to train three successive winners. No hurdle, it seems, is too steep for the Carlow handler to clear.

For a time on Saturday, it looked as if the bookies were going to get their biggest-ever return from a National.

Leading fancy and leading fancy came a cropper, and with I Am Maximus – one of the race’s hottest-ever favourites, backed into 9/2 – lengths behind at the last, those with the satchels and electronic boards must have been considering hiring security to get them home.

But it’s a long run from the last to the line. Leader, Jordans, who by common consent had been taken to the front much too early, began to wilt – not as violently as Crisp all those years ago, but enough to allow the full-of-running I Am Maximus to peg him back.

Victory for Mullins and his stable jockey, Paul Townend, who had a winner the day before with Gold Dancer. There was, however, no celebrations afterwards this one. The Michael O’Leary-owned horse buckled at the last jump when well ahead, but was still able to hold on for an easy win.

Townend, knowing there was something wrong, dismounted immediately after the line. On examination, it was found the horse had broken his back and had to be put down.

In the inquiry which followed, the opinion of the welfare and equine people was that the horse had run in a straight line up the home straight, and agreed with the jockey that it was only after passing the line that the horse’s action changed.

Keyboard warriors were quick off the mark, condemning Townend for not pulling up the horse soon after the last. It’s unlikely they’ll change tack when told the authorities exonerated the jockey.

And speaking of jockeys, teenager Conor Stone-Walsh rode the winner of the big race on the second day of the meeting.

He was aboard the Co Meath-trained Will The Wise – a tip for which was all over Dundalk, but, as usual, didn’t come Inside Track’s way – and rode a fine race to beat a Mullins/Townend horse.

This is mentioned because it was only a few short years ago that the 19-year-old rode his first winner at Dundalk. He was attached to the Joseph O’Brien’s stable at the time, and, of course, was riding on the Flat.

Inside Track and betting guru, Brian Gleeson, were nearby as the young man made his way back to the weighroom, and we both gave the young man a handclap.

His career, which has seen him switch codes due to increased weight, has been watched with interest since, but on Friday was not backed.