Well, how did Aintree go for you?

Watching from home, I thought it was a very enjoyable three days. Ground conditions were close to ideal and most of the Grade 1 races produced worthy winners – though there were the usual few head-scratchers (Mirabad, I’m looking at you).

Paul Townend rightly won a lot of praise for his skilful ride aboard Grand National winner I Am Maximus. A day earlier the jockey was getting criticism in some quarters for failing to pull up the injured Gold Dancer after that horse’s final fence blunder. I’m no expert but I’d imagine it’s very difficult for a rider to be fully aware of how a horse is moving in the heat of the moment, especially when riding a finish.

A prominent veterinary surgeon has been in touch with The Irish Field to offer a professional insight into the incident. Look out for it in the April 25th edition.

Townend is almost certain to relinquish his champion jockey title when Punchestown rolls around in a couple of weeks. In fact he is probably going to finish third – his worst placing for years – but in fact he has had a dream season.

He’s the first jockey to win the Gold Cup, Champion Chase and Champion Hurdle in the one week at Cheltenham. Earlier in the season he rode the winners of the Tingle Creek and John Durkan Chase, and of course he capped it all off at Aintree last Saturday. Some of his big race winners were favourites, some of them weren’t but it is the way in which Townend seems to be in the right place all the time which makes him stand out. He makes it look easy.

If you were compiling a highlights reel of the jumps season, the 35-year-old from Lisgoold, near Midleton in Co Cork, would be all over it. But there were plenty of other memorable moments from the past nine or 10 months over jumps which didn’t involve the outgoing champion rider.

I had intended to list my top five or six here. Eoin McCarthy’s six Listowel winners were in there, along with Eric McNamara’s Munster National win with French Dynamite. Then you had the King siblings winning big races with Oscars Brother, poor old Envoi Allen getting his head in front up the north, and Declan Queally’s Grade 1 victory on I’ll Sort That.

There was Majborough in full flow at the DRF, Saratoga scoring for Padraig Roche at Cheltenham, and three notable Fairyhouse Easter Festival moments courtesy of Soldier In Milan, Zanoosh and Fleur In The Park.

You see, it was all getting too predictable so I thought ‘What about an alternative five infamous incidents?’ What about the controversies, the rows, the shocks and scandals that we will never forget? Feck it, let’s do it. Here they are in reverse order:

5. Royal Hillsborough at Leopardstown

This mare was the first one beaten in the Grade 2 bumper at the DRF on February 1st, or so I thought at the time. As the strong pace took its toll on the leaders in the closing stages, amateur rider Stephen Connor heroically got Royal Hillsborough back into the race. Her rally looked unstoppable as she hit the front 50 yards out, only for Connor to misjudge the winning post and stop riding two seconds too soon. The idling Moonverrin got back in front at the post. Connor got 14 days for it.

4. Cobden in, Walsh out

On January 12th it was revealed that J.P. McManus had secured the services of Harry Cobden to be his number one jockey next season, both in Britain and Ireland. This effectively meant that Mark Walsh was being replaced, even though it appears there never was a formal contract between Walsh and McManus. Walsh has just turned 40, Cobden is 27. But Walsh does not look ready to retire. He has said virtually nothing about the situation since the announcement but he has been saying plenty through his riding on the track. Four Grade 1 winners at the DRF and two Cheltenham winners. Punchestown will be interesting.

3. Declan v Nico at Cheltenham

The British-Irish rivalry at Cheltenham appeared to reach new heights (or lows) when Declan Queally publicly accused Nico de Boinville of “abusing” him before the start of the Turners Novices’ Hurdle. Following 24 hours of speculation, both riders shook hands in a peace deal negotiated by Davy Russell (naturally) and in the end de Boinville was cleared of any serious wrongdoing by the stewards. Looking back it all seems like a weird dream. Did it actually happen?

2. Galway Hurdle result reversal

A controversial call by the stewards, perhaps. But I’ll remember this mainly for Noel Meade’s immediate reaction upon hearing that Helvic Dream had been demoted from first place. Captured live on television, he stuck out his hand to congratulate Gordon Elliott, trained of the promoted winner, Ndaawi. Where else would you get it? Look at how other professional sportsmen and managers react when a big decision goes against them. Toys, pram, etc. Kudos also to jockey Donagh Meyler, rider of Helvic Dream. He showed great mental strength to come out and win the very next race.

1. Did he fall or did he jump?

Our chart-topper just had to be Philip Byrnes, whose awkward exit from Redwood Queen in a claiming hurdle at Wexford in May became a huge news story. The mare looked sure to win before losing her rider at the final flight. The stewards on the day took no action but, following public outcry, the IHRB brought a case against the rider – and also one against the trainer over comments he gave to The Irish Field but that’s another story. We had to wait almost seven months for the case to be heard by the Referrals Committee and they dismissed all charges. Turns out there was no betting evidence linked to connections but there was evidence to show that the jockey does actually unseat more often than others. Do you know what, maybe Paul Townend would have stayed on but I think Philip Byrnes probably was innocent. I didn't think so at the time.

So there you have it - my alternative five “highlights”, if that’s the right word. No trophies were lifted, no Cheltenham roars were triggered, and nobody will be framing these moments on the mantelpiece any time soon. But in their own peculiar way, they’re just as memorable.

Racing would be a fairly dull business if everything went exactly to plan. Instead, we get brilliance mixed with human error, and just enough controversy to keep everyone arguing until the next race. Long may it continue.