| All eyes on the Irish Grand National
By David Thorpe
The Irish Grand National has taken on much greater significance in recent
years thanks to the subsequent success of many of the winners.
Most notably Numbersixvalverde who went on to win the Aintree National
last year.
The 2006 winner of this race Point Barrow is among the favourites for
this year’s English National.
Top weight in this year’s Irish National is the Tom Taaffe-trained
Cane Brake. A horse who ran down the field in the Gold Cup he is a high-class
finisher but may be anchored by his big weight.
Willie Mullins is again well-represented with Livingstonebramble likely
to prove his best chance. This horse will have no problem getting the
distance. He stays longer than the mother-in-law as they say in racing
parlance! But Livingstonebramble may not have the quality to win an Irish
National on good ground.
Few trainers are better at manipulating the handicap system than Meath
man Tony Martin. He enters Ross River in this contest off a nice weight.
At the peak of his form this horse has a great chance and he is the most
likely Irish-trained winner of the race this year.
English-based trainers are increasingly targeting the Irish showpiece
event and this year is no different. Nicky Henderson sends over Jauvegneuir
— a horse who ran outstandingly well in defeat at Cheltenham but
the suspicion remains that this fellow might not stay the trip so he is
an each-way bet at best.
Donald McCain whose father Ginger trained the great Red Rum sends over
Cloudy Lane a horse which won at Cheltenham but is likely to be another
fellow lacking the required class to win this race.
Ferdy Murphy has won it in the past. He sends over the excellent Joe’s
Edge a horse which won at long odds at Cheltenham and is a previous winner
of the Scottish Grand National.
This horse needs good ground but there is plenty to suggest that he will
get that at Fairyhouse on Easter Monday and with Cork man Davy Russell
likely to renew acquaintances with a horse on which he has enjoyed some
of the biggest days of his career.
He ran at Cheltenham off a ridiculously low weight so while he will be
slightly higher up the handicap here he is still the horse most likely
to keep you in Easter eggs by winning this race.
Happy punting! |
