'It's sad news' - Saint Are, the horse who ran in five Nationals, dies aged 15

Saint Are, the "unbelievably good-looking" chaser who was placed in two Grand Nationals, has died at the age of 15.

The Aintree specialist was retired after being brought down in the National in 2018 and was making a success of a second career in the show ring.

He had qualified for the prestigious final of the Tattersalls Retraining of Racehorses Show Series at Hickstead but died on Saturday of a heart attack while out doing gentle, routine exercise.

"It was sad news when I got the call," said George, who trained the horse to finish second in the 2015 National and third in 2017. "He was a great horse for us in the yard and we were very attached to him.

"They'd done an incredible job where he'd been rehomed, he was doing really well and he looked absolutely magnificent so he's gone out at the top of his game, so to speak. That's the best way to go."

Saint Are had first come to prominence when winning the Grade 1 Sefton Novices' Hurdle at Aintree for Tim Vaughan in 2011 and also won a chase on the Mildmay course there the following year.

But it was his exploits in five Grand Nationals for which he will be best remembered, notably when he stayed on well to be beaten just a length and three-quarters by Many Clouds on his second crack at the race.

Saint Are in numbers

Age (when retired) 12
Career starts 45
Career wins 5
Starts at Aintree 13
Wins at Aintree 2
Appearances in Grand National 5
Best finishing position in Grand National 2nd in 2015
Prize-money earned £495,195

"When he came second in the National he wasn't beaten far and the race had just been shortened by 400 yards for the first time and that might just have made the difference," George reflected.

"He was an unbelievably good-looking horse, big and black, and he was a great jumper, an out-and-out stayer. He had his quirks but every good horse does. We had to work him right at home, do everything to suit him and his way of liking rather than ours."

Saint Are, who also finished third in the Becher Chase over the National fences in 2014, won five races in total and earned just over £495,000.

Read more on this subject:

Tom George calls time on career of Grand National regular Saint Are

Tom George wins more than €180,000 prize-money in three-month French stint

Familiar sight as Clondaw Castle provides George with third success in Grade 3

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