MR INCREDIBLE has been BANNED from running in this weekend’s Grand National.
Sandy Thomson’s nine-year-old was scratched from the contest after BHA officials decided it wasn’t in the interests of the race for him to run.
AFPBrian Hayes was unseated from Mr Incredible (C) in last year’s Grand National[/caption]
Thomson bought Mr Incredible out of Willie Mullins’ yard last year for owner James Manclark, whose dream is to have a runner in the Aintree spectacular.
The horse arrived with a reputation for being tricky after refusing to race in the past, but was second in the Midlands Grand National 12 months ago.
Thomson was told the BHA wanted to see him start a race, which he did at Kelso on March 22 before being pulled up by jockey Ryan Mania.
The Scottish Borders-based trainer even enlisted renowned equine specialist Freddy Steele in ironing out the gelding’s quirks.
But their work has come to nothing with the authorities deciding the horse won’t be allowed to compete this weekend for fear he will disrupt the start.
Thomson, who turned around tricky former G1 winner Yorkhill – another ex-Mullins charge – to win the Eider in 2020, said: “It’s really disappointing and I’m devastated for the owner because he bought the horse to run in the National.
“We were really keen to run and have been putting a lot of work into him preparing him for Aintree.
“But we were told we are being withdrawn and our appeal went nowhere.”
Mr Incredible unseated rider Brian Hayes during last year’s running of the famous steeplechase.
Hayes fell off just after The Chair, with Mahler Mission also unseating Ben Harvey at the same fence.
Stumptown, who won the Cross Country Chase at Cheltenham earlier this month, is the market leader for this year’s race.
The 2024 winner I Am Maximus, owned by JP McManus and trained by Mullins, is generally listed as the third favourite at around 9/1.
Another McManus-owned horse in Iroko is also near the top of the market with French-bred Intense Raffles also prominent.
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