The weather is going to have a big bearing on the result of the BoyleSports Irish Grand National on Easter Monday. There is plenty of rain forecast between now and the off, and if that prediction is correct, the ground is going to be “soft”, or even “heavy”, by the off.
I am loathe to desert Haiti Couleurs after he did this column a favour winning at the Cheltenham Festival: put up at 8-1, Rebecca Curtis’s game gelding won the Princess Royal National Hunt Challenge Cup Novices’ Handicap Chase at 7-2 by a comfortable four and a half lengths.
Haiti Couleurs is a magnificent, precise jumper and seems to go on all ground conditions but he must race off a 6 lbs higher official mark at Fairyhouse on Monday (5 p.m.). So my marginal preference is for NOW IS THE HOUR who found the Cheltenham ground much faster than ideal last month but who would still almost certainly have finished in the first two had he not fallen two out when just two lengths off Haiti Couleurs in the novices’ handicap chase.
Gavin Cromwell’s eight-year-old gelding is a proper stayer and a mudlark. On top of that, he will face Haiti Couleurs on 4 lbs better terms in Ireland than he did in Britain last month. Back him 2 points win at 8-1 with bet365.
As always, Willie Mullins’ horses have to be respected in a race of this nature but, unusually, he only has four potential runners left in the contest since he has been concentrating his firepower on trying to win a second successive trainers’ championship in Britain.
Irish handler Thomas Gibney has a fine record in the Irish Grand National with two winners in the last 12 runnings of the race. His representative on Monday, Kinturk Kalanisi, is consistent and might have landed the Bar One Racing Leinster National Handicap Chase but for unseating his rider at the second last at Naas last month.
Trainer Gordon Elliott loves to target this race too and Duffle Coat, despite being 33-1, might just be his best chance even though the horse’s last two runs saw him brought down at Cheltenham and unseat his rider at the third fence in the Randox Grand National at Aintree.
However, as I am a sucker for an ageing warrior, so I am also going to back ANY SECOND NOW despite the fact he is 13 years old. Handler Ted Walsh’s gelding has been a regular in these big staying handicap chases for many years. As well as being second in this race last year, he was third in the 2021 Aintree National (despite being severely hampered fairly early in the race) and second in the Aintree National in 2022.
Any Second Now is not the force of old – he had a lofty rating of 167 two years ago – but he can still be competitive off a mark of 139 now and he goes on all ground. This race will surely have been his main target all season.
Back him 1 point each way at 25-1 with SkyBet paying five places. This could easily be his last racecourse appearance so expect plenty of emotion from connections if he does happen to land this Euros 270,000 prize.
Back on home soil tomorrow, OSLO will appreciate the quick ground at Haydock and he can cause a surprise for the in-form yard of Fergal O’Brien in the JCB Challenger Two Mile Hurdle Series Final Handicap Hurdle (2.05 p.m.)
He opened up the betting yesterday as the outsider of the seven runners at 14-1 but has since been nibbled at in the market. The horse can be a tad inconsistent so he is not one for the mortgage but back him 1 point each way at 9-1 with SkyBet paying a generous three places.
Last weekend: – 9 points.
2 points win Traprain Law at 5-1 for the Scotty Brand Handicap Chase. Pulled up. – 2 points.
1 point each way Welsh Charger at 33-1 for the Scottish Champion Hurdle, paying ¼ odds, 4 places. Unplaced. – 2 points.
1 point each way Rockola Vogue at 13-2 for the UK Greentech Glasgow Seafield Trophy Mares’ Handicap Hurdle, paying 1/5th odds, 4 places. 4th but there were three non runners so bookies paid only three places. – 2 points
1 point each way Magna Sam at 50-1 for the Scottish National, paying ¼ odds, 4 places. Pulled up. – 2 points.
1 point each way Rock My Way at 10-1 for the Scottish National, paying 1/5th odds, 6 places. 5th. + 1 point.
1 point each way Whistle Stop Tour at 16-1 for the Scottish National, paying ¼ odds, 4 places. Non Runner. – 2 points.
Pending:
1 point each way Oslo at 9-1 for the JCB Challenger Two Mile Hurdle Series Final Handicap Hurdle, paying 1/5th odds, 3 places.
2 points win Now Is The Hour at 8-1 for the Irish Grand National.
1 point each way Any Second Now at 25-1 for the Irish Grand National, paying 1/5th odds, 5 places.
2024-5 jump season running total: – 58.21 points.
2024 flat season: + 41.4 points on all tips.
2023-4 jump season: + 42.01 points on all tips.
2023 flat season: – 48.22 points on all tips.
2022-3 jump season: + 54.3 points on all tips.
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