Grand National runner banned from Aintree despite seeing 'horse therapist'

A 2025 Grand National entrant has been banned from the race by the British Horseracing Authority.

The Grand National takes place at Aintree this Saturday, and is set to be contested by 34 runners.

Stumptown, ridden by Keith Donoghue, is currently the favourite to win the race, while the JP McManus-trained Iroko is also strongly fancied.

But a competitor from last year's National will not be given another chance to win the 186-year-old race.

Mr Incredible, who was ranked at odds of 10-1 to win last year's race but unseated his rider at The Chair, has been barred from taking part at Aintree.

After competing in the 2024 National, the horse pulled up in each of its next two meetings and did not take to the track again until December.

Mr Incredible had won two out of its 13 races, including one win under Rachael Blackmore at Naas in 2021.

And after a meeting at Kelso earlier this month, in which Mr Incredible appeared to pull himself after the 14th fence, stewards described his behaviour as 'unruly' and referred him to the BHA.

BBC Sport report that the horse has been working with horse therapist Freddy Steele over the past seven weeks in order to be fully prepared for the National.

He is said to have been 'showing progress' at home and on the racecourse, but has now been barred from competing at Aintree.

A BHA statement reads: "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."

But trainer Sandy Thomson says he disagrees with the BHA's decision, and that the verdict was appealed.

"Their concern was that he would disrupt the start," he revealed. "My defence was that he has never disrupted any start.

"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."

Meanwhile, his owner, former British Winter Olympian James Manclark, 85, has never had one of his horses compete at the National.

Thomson added: "James is pretty devastated. He has been trying to get this for three years and we found him a horse, and his health comes and goes.

"Our aim is now to get the horse to run next year."

Mr Incredible is not the only entrant to be withdrawn from the 2025 Grand National.

L'Homme Presse, Capodanno, Velvet Elvis, Minella Drama and Fontaine Collonges and Quick Wave have all been taken out of the race.

One of the beneficiaries of those decisions is Hyland, who won a Class 1 novices' chase at Cheltenham in October over 3m1/2f with jockey Nico de Boinville and has now been added to the National.