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Oscar Time Ruled Out for Season
25/01/12

Last season’s Grand National runner-up Oscar Time will not feature again this season after failing to recover sufficiently from a troubling leg injury.

Oscar Time
© Grossick Racing Photography

After such a positive time at Aintree last year – the 11-year-old only missed out to Ballabriggs after a very impressive run – it was thought that those buying sports tickets for Aintree would witness Oscar Time having another go at the most famous race of all, but this is now impossible.

Trainer Martin Lynch revealed: “It's a big blow, but it's not career-threatening and the main thing is he's still in one piece. He just has a slight tendon injury. It's nothing huge, but it's enough to keep him out for the season, which is obviously disappointing.”

"He'd been in tremendous form since his run over hurdles - even better than he was this time last year if anything. He's a horse we've minded during his career, so hopefully he'll be back next season.”

"We'll make plans nearer the time, but there's a possibility he could go down the hunter chase route and go to the Cheltenham Festival before he goes back to Aintree. It's all up in the air at the minute.”

Owner Robert Waley-Cohen also expressed his disappointment at the news, saying that it proves how difficult it is to prepare horses for the major events.

He said: “It's unfortunate and it just shows you how difficult it is just to get horse and jockey to the races at the top of their game.”

"We were looking forward to running in the Bobbyjo Chase at Fairyhouse as we wanted to get another run into him before Aintree, but we're going to run out of time. He's lightly raced and it's not unheard of for a 12-year-old to win the National, so hopefully he'll still be up to it next year. Fingers crossed.”

Those involved in Oscar Time’s development are certainly hopeful that this isn’t the last we have heard of the horse just yet. After all, success in 2013 would be made all the sweeter after missing out on competing in 2012.

Elsewhere, there is one horse that is hoping to make a comeback in time for this year’s Cheltenham Festival. Knockara Beau hasn’t been in the best form, but trainer George Charlton is confident this can change before long.

Referring to immediate plans, more specifically Saturday's Argento Chase he said: “I'm 90% sure he's going to run, but we'll make a final decision later in the week.”

“He seems in good form, but I was disappointed with his run at Wetherby over Christmas. The top three or four disappointed in that race and I think that might have been down to the ground, as it was very dead.”

"I hope he can bounce back and run well this weekend. He loves it round Cheltenham, but it is obviously a very hot race indeed.”