Freewheelin Dylan has brought so much joy to so many, not least for his proud owner Sheila Mangan

The story of Freewheelin Dylan, last year’s BoyleSports Irish Grand National winner, is as his trainer Dermot McLoughlin describes: “Fairytale stuff”. It all started about five years ago when local lady Sheila Mangan, who works with Dermot, sought to buy a horse.

The idea was to have the animal to run in point-to-points; for a bit of fun and when Sheila laid eyes on Freewheelin Dylan there was no turning back. Describing the now 10-year-old gelding Dermot says: “Sheila took a chance on him, and he turned out to be a very easy horse to train. He’s very gentle and kind and loves his routine.”

Dermot’s family is steeped in racing, his father Liam having won the National on Kerforo in 1962. McLoughlin senior was the first jockey to win on the legendary Arkle, widely regarded as the greatest horse in jump racing history.

Though he didn’t quite acknowledge it until after the event, Dermot admits: “I’d always wanted to have a horse to run in the Irish Grand National, at my local track in Fairyhouse. I’ve been going there since I was probably seven years of age.”

DREAM BIG

Little did he know that Sheila’s Freewheelin Dylan would make that dream come true.

It wasn’t until the horse won the Midlands National at Kilbeggan in 2020 after a dramatic photo finish that Dermot became resolute in his ambition for the horse. “I remember it so clearly, when his jockey Ricky Doyle jumped off him that day in Kilbeggan - I said I know exactly where I am going with this horse,” and with that it was decided that in six months time Freewheelin Dylan would take on the biggest race on the Irish calendar – the €500,000 BoyleSports Irish Grand National.

When April rolled around, Freewheelin Dylan was a 150-1 shot to win the race and it would be Jockey Ricky’s first time to ride in the Irish Grand National. Undoubtedly there was a lot of pressure resting on those young shoulders, but as Dermot says: “If you don’t give young people a chance then they can’t show you what they are capable of. Three years ago, I gave Ricky the opportunity to ride the horse. He got on really well with him and grew in confidence.

“When we were leaving the yard that day – there were two horses in the box, Freewheelin Dylan who had odds of 150-1 and Opposites Attract who I think had odds of 20-1 and I remember saying everything has come right for Freewheelin Dylan, he looks a million dollars and the grounds suits him. Ricky was confident too he said to me, in the parade ring before the race started, that he was going to have a go at getting away the same way he did in the Midlands national.”

SHOCK AND AWE

A rarity in horseracing – everything went to plan. Ricky and Freewheelin Dylan got off to a good start and made most of the running throughout to make history by becoming the longest-priced winner ever of the famous race.

As well as that, Sheila Mangan joined the racing elite as one of the few female owners to win the big race.

Reflecting on the win almost a year later, Dermot had this to say: “I was blown away by the local support. Initially it was a bit surreal because there were no crowds allowed at the racetrack and I hadn’t anticipated such a response. For two weeks after the phone just never stopped and people left flowers and letters of congratulations at the house. My family and I got so much enjoyment from it. But I am most proud of having been able to win it for the horse’s owner Sheila.”

Sheila has openly discussed her struggles with depression and as Dermot explains: “That horse means so much to her, she is with him every day - she mucks him out, she grooms him. She’s said to me numerous times that he is what gets her up in the mornings. He’s changed her life. He’s won seven races, but that win was major.”

So, what are Freewheelin Dylan’s prospects for the year ahead? “He’s entered for this year’s Irish Grand National. He’s fit, he’s healthy, we can’t do much more for him now. He’ll do a few jumps over the next few weeks just to get his eye back in and that’ll be it.”

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