Jockey Ben Jones admits he would ride Jordans differently if he had his time again after coming in for criticism for a premature move in Saturday's Randox Grand National.
Jones has had a stellar campaign, riding several big-race winners including The Jukebox Man for trainer Ben Pauling in the King George VI Chase at Kempton, and he was called up for the ride on second-season chaser Jordans by Joseph O'Brien.
The seven-year-old, who had stamina to prove, was held up early on before creeping past rivals and being sent on at the third-last fence. He was ultimately headed by I Am Maximus and Iroko inside the final furlong, finishing just under four lengths behind the Willie Mullins-trained winner in third.
Commenting on Racing TV's Luck On Sunday programme, pundit Lisa O’Neill questioned the timing of Jones' bid for glory, saying: "He's picked up through the field and he's shot on away from them. Obviously Ben Jones probably thought I'm kicking for home and I'm going to stretch them.
"When he looks back, I'm sure he's going to think 'look where the winner is, look where the second is, if I held held onto him and didn't make up that ground'... he'd have preserved an awful lot more energy.
"He's a horse that has never been over this kind of trip before. Who's to know, if he'd just rode him a little more conservatively I think he'd have been an awful lot closer than he was."
"I think he'd have won," said Luck. "This is one that got away if you backed Jordans, I think."
Speaking from Ffos Las on Sunday, Jones responded to the criticism in an interview with Sky Sports Racing.
He said: "I couldn't have asked for a more willing partner, he jumped brilliantly and got into a lovely rhythm. Obviously, if we could have re-runs I'd probably do things a little bit different.
"Once I jumped Canal Turn, I gave him a bit of light and he just kept jumping me, shoving me forwards, and he started travelling a bit better. I just kind of landed there and he took me forward. Hindsight is a wonderful thing but I would probably have held onto him a little bit longer.
"He's still a young horse and hopefully he can have another crack next year. There's always what ifs, as soon as I came back in and watched it I knew straight away what could have been done.
"It was a brilliant opportunity for myself and I could thank Joseph and the owners (enough) for the opportunity, it was brilliant.
"There was four or five loose horses around us and I think I was just floating away with them really, I could hear horses behind me but I didn't think I went five or six (lengths) clear as I did. So it's always what ifs and buts.
"We live and learn, hopefully I'll learn. I won't be doing that mistake again anyway."
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