Connor King has a chance of making history if Oscars Brother lines up for a tilt at the Randox Grand National.
King, just 27, trains only two horses from his Cashel stable and one of them just happens to be a contender for the world’s most famous steeplechase at Aintree in April. Making the story even more special is the fact King’s brother, Daniel, has ridden the eight-year-old in ever start under rules so far.
Oscars Brother was purchased by legendary owner JP McManus after his triumph at Punchestown in November, subsequently winning the Ten Up Chase Novice Chase at Navan to tee up a possible National bid, for which he has been allocated 10st 13lb.
King said: “Well, the handicapper’s put him up a few pounds! We’ve just been seeing how he is after the last day, but he’s in good form. He needs one more run to qualify.
“He’s in the Brown Advisory at the Cheltenham Festival, so we’ll have to see – there’s a month nearly between the two. He came out of Navan extremely well.”
Were Oscars Brother to come to the fore in Liverpool, King would become the youngest trainer to claim the race in its lengthy history, with his first memory of the contest one the older guard might even consider to be relatively recent.
“I’ve been training since April 2024, so it’s coming up to two years. I’m trying not to think too much about Aintree!” he said.
“I know how good the horse is and it’s brilliant to potentially being going up there with a horse for the Grand National and being involved in it.
“I think my first memory of the Grand National would be Hedgehunter falling at the last in 2004, the year before he won it.
“Mr (Trevor) Hemmings owned him and there was kind of a connection with where I’m from at home with Eugene O’Sullivan (who brought on young horses for the late owner), so I kind of remember feeling like it was closer to home than others.”
