Finian’s Oscar, one of the brightest and most frustrating talents of the last two jumps seasons, has died during his summer break. The horse failed to recover from treatment for colic, reported his trainer, Colin Tizzard.
“He was out in a field at our place and he started showing signs of colic,” Tizzard said on Tuesday. “Colic’s a funny thing, they can sometimes be fine 10 minutes later but we sent him to Langford, which is the top horse hospital in the south-west.
“He had an operation and seemed to come through it but two days later he had a major organ failure and died. It’s terrible, isn’t it? But I’m afraid these things can happen. He was a lovely young horse. We hadn’t seen the best of him yet.”
Finian’s Oscar had a big reputation even before he ran for Tizzard for the first time, in December 2016. The trainer pointed him out to a visiting pack of reporters as he thundered up the gallops and said: “That’s the best young horse I’ve got,” but refused to name him at the time.
But there was no question of keeping his talent a secret once Finian’s Oscar made it to the track. He bolted up by seven lengths on his debut for the Dorset trainer and has since been a Grade One winner over hurdles and fences.
His final appearance was in a hugely dramatic novice chase at Punchestown in April, when he was carried out at the last fence just as he seemed about to challenge for the lead. It was a run that showed he could yet fulfil his potential as a chaser, having struggled earlier in the season.
Tizzard added that his other star jumps horses are now back in training, slightly earlier than usual because of the hot weather. Native River, the Gold Cup winner, is to make his return to action in Haydock’s Betfair Chase in November, while Thistlecrack may be aimed at Wetherby’s Charlie Hall Chase.
Lingfield
2.00 Demurrer 2.30 Pondering 3.00 Trouble And Strife 3.30 Bailarico 4.00 Free Love 4.35 Prince Of Rome 5.05 Rippling Waters
Catterick
2.10 Capitan James 2.40 Mutanaqel 3.10 Prairie Spy 3.40 Montague 4.10 Italian Riviera 4.45 Size Matters 5.15 Perfect Thought
Yarmouth
2.20 Winged Spur 2.50 Scale Force 3.20 It'safreebee 3.50 Kaanoon (nap) 4.20 Rhigolter Rose 4.55 WIld Acclaim 5.25 La Isla Bonita
Kempton
5.20 King Of Nepal (nb) 5.55 Athassel 6.25 Unbridled Spirit 6.55 Diocles Of Rome 7.25 Firelight 7.55 Cliffs Of Dover 8.25 Magellan 8.55 Little Palaver
Bath
6.10 Final Rock 6.40 Archimedes 7.10 Cosmic Love 7.40 Watheeqa 8.10 Blitz 8.40 General Brook 9.10 Jaganory
