FOLLOWING the success of Jury Duty (Well Chosen) in the Grade 1 Grand National Hurdle at Fair Hills last year I was contacted by Dr Declan Gill, a part-owner of the winner’s only registered thoroughbred sibling, a full-brother named Vandevart.

The owners, who paid the ‘princely sum’ of €2,000 for him, named him in honour of the talented Spurs and Dutch midfielder Rafael Van Der Vaart. The similarities did not end there, as both horse and player proved to be fragile in their legs! Sent to be trained by Gerry Lynch in Co Galway, Vandevart made a single start in a point-to-point.