Sam Waley-Cohen’s dreams of going one better aboard Oscar Time in this year’s John Smith’s Grand National have been dashed with the gelding ruled out for the season with a leg injury.

Waley-Cohen finished runner-up to Ballabriggs on the 11-year-old, owned by his father, Robert, who lives at Edgehill, near Banbury, in the Aintree marathon last April.

But now Oscar Time, trained by Martin Lynch in County Dublin, in Ireland, has suffered a tendon injury. Robert Waley-Cohen said: “It’s unfortunate and it just shows you how difficult it is just to get horse and jockey to the races at the top of their game.

“We were looking forward to running in the Bobbyjo Chase at Fairyhouse as we wanted to get another run into him before Aintree, but we’re going to run out of time.

“He’s lightly raced and it’s not unheard of for a 12-year-old to win the National, so hopefully he’ll still be up to it next year. Fingers crossed.”

Lynch added: “It’s a big blow, but it’s not career-threatening and the main thing is he’s still in one piece.

“He just has a slight tendon injury. It’s nothing huge, but it’s enough to keep him out for the season, which is obviously disappointing.

“He’d been in tremendous form since his run over hurdles – even better than he was this time last year if anything.

“He’s a horse we’ve minded during his career, so hopefully he’ll be back next season.”