It looked like The Big Dog had a bright future as a staying chaser.
Sad news coming from the world of steeplechase racing today.
The Big Dog, the Offaly owned 9 year old has died of colic.
The Mahler gelding enjoyed a fruitful career over jumps and had seen the best of his form come over the last season.
Owned by Lusmagh brothers Colin and Damien Kelly, he won the Munster National, a Troytown Chase, before placing third in Welsh National and going on to finish an impressive fifth in his first Aintree Grand National.