THIS year was the 25th anniversary of the false start Grand National. In the heat of the moment trainer John Upson got into trouble for saying “it wouldn’t happen in a backward little country like Ireland.”

The phase, “backward little country” came to mind this week when the racing public were left in the dark for many hours, with no explanation on what had happened in the bizzare finish to the Growise Novice Chase when Al Boum Photo was taken out of the race by Paul Townend as he was leading coming to the last, also taking Finian’s Oscar out of the race.