ONE of the best Channel 4 features around this year’s Crabbie’s Grand National was that of a mic’d-up, headcam-wearing A.P. McCoy jumping the Aintree fences on Hello Bud.

The 1998 Jurado gelding was bred in north Co Dublin by popular trainer Peter Casey and, on the last of 42 track performances, won the Betfred Chase over three miles, two furlongs of the National track in December 2012. The bay is very much a favourite of his jockey that day, Sam Twiston-Davies.

McCoy, the retired multiple-champion jockey and pundit gave a superb display of quiet hands, balance and non-interference with the very willing bay.

For most of the feature, A.P. and Hello Bud were in second place, behind the also retired pairing of Sam Thomas on the Irish-bred Morestead, the winner of eight races for the Brendan Powell yard.

In third place, and not getting nearly as much coverage as we would have liked, was top British event rider Oliver Townend.

The footage was shot back in early December when Townend, who is among the overseas challengers heading to Ballindenisk next week, was on holiday.

Delighted to have been asked to participate, Oliver returned earlier than planned from The Maldives and borrowed the homebred Crazy Diamond, the winner of six point-to-points, from his friends, the McKie family. The 2004 Silver Patriarch gelding has had only two runs on the track so this was a great performance by both horse and rider.

POINT-TO-POINTS

“I really enjoyed the whole experience but it was hard keeping it a secret,” Townend told The Irish Horse World. “I never rode in point-to-points and this was my first time to ride on the racecourse. I’m hoping to get some of the footage from Sam’s headcam, which picked up more of my horse during the session, and also from the one I had.

“I didn’t get to Aintree but, as I was competing just on Sunday last weekend, for the first time I can remember I was able to sit down for the day and watch the entire National coverage. I think I may be in the wrong game!”