Lovelorn jockey Tom Bellamy was feeling flat after his chance of Grand National glory fell at the first.
The rider – whose mum pleaded with fans to find him a girlfriend after he romped to victory on 40-1 outsider White Noise at Cheltenham – could really have put himself in the shop window by steering last year’s National winner Nick Rockett to glory once again in Saturday’s big race.
Cash was piling in on the Rockett repeating – particularly with Artemis II about to return to Earth. But the horse picked up a cough overnight and was withdrawn from the National – leaving Tom without a ride.
The 31-year-old star admitted he was still single a month on from his mum Sue’s dramatic post-race plea to ITV viewers: “Anybody out there? He’s a nice lad!”
He said yesterday: “I’ve had plenty of messages but sadly to no avail yet. It’s all been very good fun and light-hearted.
“I’m still available and I’m certainly not going to turn any down. But look, it’s been good fun and a real good laugh.
“Dear old mum. I went and watched the coverage with her a couple of days later and she was genuinely mortified.
“She’s not sure if she’s coming yet this weekend. She was going to when I was riding but that might change now.
“It’s been incredible an incredible 24 hours. It was lovely to be thought of for the Nick Rockett ride.
“An incredible day yesterday and then this morning, obviously, a bit of disappointment. But I didn’t have a ride in the race 24 hours ago so I sort of didn’t get too high on the emotions anyway.
“It’s not the end of the world.”
Tom could still pick up a ride in the big race if another jockey picks up an injury.