Grand National jockey banned after riding injured horse and failing to pull up during race
Rhiannon Ingle
Featured Image Credit: Paul ELLIS / AFP via Getty Images
Jockey Toby McCain-Mitchell has been handed a 10-day ban by Aintree stewards after failing to pull up a horse, named Top Of The Bill, following the final-fence fall in the Randox Grand National last week.
The 10-year-old horse, trained by Nigel Twiston-Davies and Willy Twiston-Davies, was McCain-Mitchell’s first ride in the famous sporting race.
Top Of The Bill travelled prominently for much of the four-and-a-quarter-mile contest, but began to fade before falling at the last fence.
Stewards later ruled that 24-year-old McCain-Mitchell should have pulled up once he was clearly detached from the field.
The Grand National Horse Racing Guide explains that 'pulling up' a horse means that the jockey has decided the horse can’t keep going, resulting in him taking it out of the race.
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This usually happens when the jockey believes that the horse is in distress, injured, or unable to continue racing safely.
The guide explains how the jockey will pull back on the reins, slow the horse down, and guide it to a controlled stop away from the other horses and the racing action. Once a horse is pulled up, it is examined by veterinarians and racecourse officials to assess its condition.
The stewards’ report said: "An inquiry was held to consider whether Toby McCain-Mitchell, the rider of Top Of The Bill, who fell at the last fence, should have pulled the gelding up, having been in a prominent position before weakening rapidly.
"The rider and the veterinary officer were interviewed, and recordings of the incident were viewed. Having considered the evidence, McCain-Mitchell was suspended for 10 days for failing to pull up when the horse had tailed off."
Top Of The Bill later made his own way back to the stables, where he was among three horses checked over by vets.
Willie Mullins’s Quai De Bourbon fell at the second in the four-and-a-quarter-mile race, while Sara Bradstock’s Mr Vango came down at the sixth. Both were taken back to the stables by horse ambulance.
In an update on all three horses on Saturday evening (11 April), a statement from the track read: "Top of The Bill fell at the final fence and was assessed on course. He was walked back to the stables, where he underwent further expert veterinary assessment. He is expected to travel home this evening.
"Mr Vango walked onto the horse ambulance following his fall at the sixth fence, having been assessed, and returned to the stables where he underwent further expert veterinary assessment. He has travelled to Leahurst Equine Hospital for further tests.
"Quai De Bourbon walked onto the horse ambulance, having been assessed, following his fall at the second fence. He underwent further expert veterinary assessment in the stables and will return home overnight."
The Gordon Elliott-trained Stellar Story fell at the 19th fence, and his rider Robbie Dunne was taken to hospital for further treatment.
Aintree’s statement added: "Jockey Robbie Dunne was assessed on course by the medical team. He is conscious and talking and is being taken to hospital for further assessment.
"All remaining horses and riders are accounted for."
Tyla has reached out to McCain-Mitchell's representatives for further comment.