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Seamus Joseph O'Neill was one the those unfortunate jockeys who took part in the fiasco that was the 1993 Grand National.Not having seen the recall flag - if it was ever raised - Seamus kicked his mount Sure Metal into the lead which he disputed with the Andy Orkney-ridden Howe Street throughout the first circuit.
Seamus never considered pulling up, thinking that with horses racing to his left and right, everything was as it should be.
Approaching the Chair, someone ran out in front of him. Seamus assumed it was one of those 'animal rights fanatics', and kept going.
Two fences before Becher's, Sure Metal fell.
A groundsman in his car stopped to pick Seamus up. Listening to the car radio, he heard Peter Bromley's commentary.
'I heard him say it was a void race. I couldn't believe it.' he said later.
Before the next season started, Seamus had decided to retire. A broken thumb sustained in a fall at Ludlow had taken three months to heal and helped make up his mind.
Approaching his 39th birthday and with his best years undoubtedly behind him, it was time to call it a day.
He had ridden over 300 winners and had had great fun doing so, but time marches on.
Seamus got a job as assistant trainer to Frank Lloyd, a permit holder from Bangor-on-Dee.
Eventually, after training, he became s full time starter for the jockey club.
Born at the Curragh on September 26, 1954,, it was not surprising that he entered the racing scene and served a five year apprenticeship with Mick Rogers.
Disappointingly, this yielded no more than a dozen rides.
His first winner was Yellow Sam at Wexford on 7 July, 1975. It was his last win in Ireland; shortly after he came to England to join Ray Peacock, who trained at Tarpoley near Chester.
Again he was disappointed with his progress and decided to go freelance.
As such, Seamus enjoyed two great wins: he won the 1984 Sun Alliance at Cheltenham on Fealty and the 1986 Fighting Fifth hurdle at Newcastle on Tom Sharp.
Sure Metal had been his fourth Grand National ride.
His first, Preben Fur in 1988, pulled up at second Becher's.
In 1990, he finished 19th on Mick's Star.
In 1991 he rode New Halen: they came down at the fence after second Becher's.
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