A horse who was being aimed at next week’s Grand National was found dead in his box on Friday, the apparent result of a mystery illness that had been affecting him in recent days. A Genie In Abottle, who won two races this season for his trainer, Noel Meade, had been a general 50-1 shot for the Aintree race.
“We’d been a bit worried about him but the vets couldn’t find out what was wrong with him,” Meade said from his yard in County Meath, north of Dublin. “It was obviously very serious because we found him on the floor of his box this afternoon.”
A tough stayer who started favourite for the National Hunt Chase at last year’s Cheltenham Festival, A Genie In Abottle was good enough to beat Tiger Roll in a Listed steeplechase in the autumn. He was last seen when second to Bellshill at Fairyhouse in February.
Meade is now likely to run Road To Riches in the National, as the veteran seems likely to make the final cut of 40 runners. Sean Flanagan will ride the 11-year-old, who was third to Coneygree in the 2015 Cheltenham Gold Cup.
Three female jockeys could line up in the National for the first time in 30 years, as Rachael Blackmore is among those being considered for the mount on Alpha Des Obeaux. Katie Walsh is already booked to ride Baie Des Iles while Bryony Frost will be aboard Milansbar.
No decision has been made as to who will ride Alpha Des Obeaux but Blackmore was aboard him last time, when he ran in the Irish Gold Cup. Mouse Morris, who trains the horse, put Blackmore on one of his runners at Fairyhouse on Easter Monday and was rewarded with a 25-1 winner. “She rides well and she’s been lucky for me lately,” Morris said.
Michael O’Leary, owner of Alpha Des Obeaux, has easily the best record of any owner when it comes to providing high-profile chances for female jockeys. He and Walsh teamed up for Irish National success, thanks to Thunder And Roses in 2015, while Lisa O’Neill has won two Kerry Nationals and a National Hunt Chase in his colours.
No female jockey has won a Grand National, though Walsh fared well to be third on Seabass in 2012 and led over the last. She and Nina Carberry have been the only women to get rides in the race since 2005.
In the race’s 180-year history, there has only been one National with as many as three female riders, when Gee Armytage, Venetia Williams and Penny Ffitch-Heyes took their chances in 1988. Armytage showed up well for a long way before a back injury forced her to pull up Gee-A.
Kempton 1.30 Kinks 2.05 Tomily 2.40 Raucous 3.15 Hunaina 3.50 Dathanna 4.25 Kings Shield 5.00 Author's Dream (nb)
Kelso 1.50 Hills Of Dubai 2.25 Taxmeifyoucan 3.00 Seldom Inn 3.35 Eminent Poet 4.10 Martiloo 4.45 Haul Us In 5.20 Cultram Abbey
Uttoxeter 1.55 Hartside 2.30 Hurricane Dylan 3.05 Billy Hicks 3.40 Town Parks 4.15 Loch Linnhe 4.50 Newberry New 5.25 Easter Gold
Fakenham 2.15 Gregarious (nap) 2.50 Heresmynumber 3.25 Pacific De Baune 4.00 Iconic Sky 4.35 Remind Me Later 5.10 Monsieur Co 5.40 Eclair De Guye
Wolverhampton 5.45 Grecian Divine 6.15 Onefootinparadise 6.45 Masaarr 7.15 Fire Diamond 7.45 Dream Magic 8.15 Seven Clans 8.45 Foie Gras
