Mr Incredible will not be in the Grand National at Aintree after he was banned by the British Horseracing Authority for his unruly behaviour – leaving both his owner and trainer “devastated”
Fury erupted after a rebel racehorse was booted out of the Grand National for “unruly” behaviour – despite undergoing counselling.
Mr Incredible was set to line up as one of 34 starters in Saturday’s big race – fulfilling Brit Winter Olympian James Manclark’s dream of fielding a runner in the iconic Aintree steeplechase.
But officials from the British Horseracing Authority – aka BHA – have banned the nine-year-old gelding for his bad boy behaviour.
The horse, runner-up in last year’s Midlands Grand National, has not finished any of his five races since – either refusing to jump or pulling up. In one he refused to start. In another he only went 10 yards before giving up.
He has spent the past seven weeks being counselled by horse therapist Freddy Steele who claimed the thoroughbred – which has won twice in the past – was showing “progress” and responding well to “natural horsemanship”.
But racing chiefs still barred him from the National and tossed out an appeal against the decision by his “devastated” owner and “desperately frustrated, annoyed and sad” Scottish trainer Sandy Thomson.
Thomson said: “It was 100% the BHA’s decision. Their concern was that he would disrupt the start. My defence was that he has never disrupted any start.
“I saw no reason why he wouldn’t start in the Grand National and having more horses around him would have helped. The other thing they said was about his recent form.
“But their criteria said they would take into account the last six runs and that included second in the Midlands National. It was a totally unsatisfactory situation.”
Thomson told the Nick Luck Daily Podcast the “only time” Mr Incredible had not started was when he’d had cheekpieces on.
In another race “he just got about 10 yards and said that was enough”. But he had “never actually disrupted a start”.
Manclark, 85, an adventurer himself who competed in the men’s singles luge at the 1968 Winter Olympics after having a go on holiday in Switzerland, has been battling to get a horse in the big race for the past three years.
Thomson said the aging owner, whose “health comes and goes”, had bought Mr Incredible specifically for the National and the horse had been “absolutely bouncing”.
The trainer said: “This horse, obviously, if he turned up and showed his true form he would have a chance. We’ve put in a huge amount of work with him. It’s obviously very disappointing.”
Thomson now hopes to run Mr Incredible in the Scottish Grand National at Ayr on April 12, before having another go at Aintree next year.
A British HorseRacing Authority spokesman said: “Each horse entered to take part in any race over the Grand National fences must undergo a review by the National Fence Review Panel, a highly experienced group including former jockeys, veterinarians, clerks of the course and stewards who carefully consider each horse’s suitability to take part.
“The panel carefully assesses each horse’s ability, fitness, recent form and overall readiness for its intended race and works closely with connections of any horse about which it has concerns before a decision on its participation is reached.”