Bravesmansgame blocked from running on Aintree’s opening day by court order

Bravemansgame, the likely favourite for Thursday’s Grade One Aintree Bowl Chase, was sensationally taken out of the feature race on the opening day of this year’s Grand National meeting after a court order was made to prevent him running.

The Cheltenham Gold Cup runner-up was a late absentee after the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) ordered that the Paul Nicholls-trained chaser should be withdrawn from the race.

The BHA said that it had taken the decision “in light of new information, including a court order” from the Financial Conduct Authority, following the financial regulator’s move last week to order the immediate closure of Vertem Asset Management, a business run by Bravemansgame’s part-owner, John Dance.

The gelding had previously been cleared by the BHA to contest the race, with the eight-year-old switched into the sole ownership of Bryan Drew on Tuesday, having previously been owned in partnership with Dance.

Dance, 48, has been a significant investor in bloodstock in Britain in recent years, both on the Flat and over jumps. He has also spent a seven-figure sum on a private training facility in Yorkshire, where his trainer, James Horton, is listed as having 43 horses owned by Dance in his care.

The BHA statement read: “In light of new information, including a court order, provided to the BHA on Wednesday 12 April by the Financial Conduct Authority Bravemansgame is no longer able to take part in the race and has been withdrawn.

“The BHA will continue to liaise with the FCA and other affected parties.”