MIKE Futter, owner of 2003 Grand National winner Monty’s Pass, died peacefully this week in hospital. He was 77.

A bingo hall owner from Donaghdee in Co Down, he was a very popular figure in the betting ring at point-to-points for many years.

He was one of five members of the Dee Syndicate, which owned Monty’s Pass and he claimed to have won over £800,000 when the Jimmy Mangan-trained gelding won the world’s biggest steeplechase under Barry Geraghty.

At the time, Mangan said of Futter: “He is so easy to train for. He never puts me under any pressure.”

Speaking at Cork Racecourse yesterday, Mangan said: “I’d never have won the National only for Mike Futter, as Monty’s Pass would not pass a vet for anybody.

“But he rang me up and said ‘if he’s healthy, I don’t want any vet near him’, so he bought him on my word over the phone. The rest is history.

“He was a colourful character and gave me full control of what I wanted to do with the horse. After he finished second in the Topham Trophy, I knew then I had a horse for the National.

“I hadn’t much connections with him afterwards, but some of the syndicate were involved in Whinstone Boy with me afterwards and I won the Thyestes Chase for them and Mike went other places.”

Futter also owned a good hunter chaser at that time named What Odds, who won four point-to-points and five hunter chases for trainer Tucker Geraghty.

He is survived by his wife Janet, three children and four grandchildren.

His funeral service will take place in S. Clarke and Son’s Funeral Church, Bangor next Wednesday (January 22nd) at 2pm, followed by a private family committal.