OSCARS BROTHER
- Trainer: Connor King
- Jockey: Daniel King
- Owner: J P McManus
- Age: 8
- National Weight: 10st 13lb
- Season Form Figures: 21114
- National Prep-Race: 4th - Brown Advisory Novices' Chase (Grade 1), Cheltenham Festival (Mar 2026)
”I feel like Oscars Brother could be the big story horse in this year’s National and so, it would be remiss of me not to include him.
The horse has had an unbelievable season and he’s a real rags to riches story for a young trainer in Connor King who only trains two horses, with this fella going to be ridden by his brother Daniel, and now in the colours of JP McManus.
We probably haven’t had a great National story in a little while, but this is no fairytale either, as we are dealing with a good horse who has plenty of ability to run big. I went back and watched his Brown Advisory run last night and he ran well given the circumstances, as it looked like he was in top gear at times, but still finished out his race really well.
He’s got that Noble Yeats kind of profile in that he is a younger horse coming through who is still a novice. We covered some more exposed horses early in this series, but this is the kind of horse that the Handicapper is still guessing where his ceiling is.
The horse’s form this season is strong and at Grade 1 level; and while he is a novice still, I don’t see anything in his jumping that would overly concern me. He’s maybe not the biggest sort physically, but he’s well able to jump and carries 10st 13lb.
What could be a big help is potentially getting back on some slower ground, as at Cheltenham, it just all looked to be happening quicker than ideal for him on that proper spring ground. Oscars Brother is maybe a little bit more ground dependent than some we have covered and I’ve no doubt he’ll be a happier horse back on softer. Let’s see what the weather does and how much they water.
He’s a horse I would have no stamina issues about; if he can get the usual luck you need to run well in a National, I can see him coming into his own in the latter stages of the race if he handles the big field."
The Bottom Line
- Strong Suit
- "He’s got Grade 1 novice form taking on more exposed horses."
- Weak Spot
- "Looking at his profile, I have a slight concern about him being happier in smaller fields."