Leading ante-post fancies stand their ground for next Monday’s BoyleSports Irish Grand National
Wednesday, April 16, 2025
All the leading ante-post fancies have stood their ground for next Monday’s BoyleSports Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse. Photo: Patrick McCann/Racing Post
British raiders Haiti Couleurs and Johnnywho, along with the Gavin Cromwell-trained Now Is The Hour and Willie Mullins’ High Class Hero, are among the leading ante-post fancies standing their ground for next Monday’s BoyleSports Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse.
The Rebecca Curtis-trained Haiti Couleurs, winner of the National Hunt Chase at Cheltenham last month, and the Festival’s Kim Muir Challenge Cup Amateur Jockeys' Handicap Chase runner-up Johnnywho, trained by Jonjo & AJ O’Neill, are two of the six remaining British hopefuls among the 49 acceptors.
The O’Neill team is also responsible for Hasthing, sitting just outside the top 30 horses in the weights which are all guaranteed a run if declared before 10am on Saturday.
The novice Better Days Ahead is the race’s new top-weight and his trainer Gordon Elliott has left in 11 horses, including Favori De Champdou and Shecouldbeanything.
Along with his top hope Now Is The Hour, Gavin Cromwell has seven other remaining entries with Malina Girl and Bioluminescence among them as he seeks a first BoyleSports Irish Grand National success, while two-time winner Willie Mullins has reduced his team to four, with High Class Hero and Quai De Bourbon featuring.
Last year’s winning trainer Tom Gibney is set to rely on Kinturk Kalanisi with Daily Present, a neck in front of Johnnywho when winning at the Cheltenham Festival, a big hope for trainer Paul Nolan.
Unbeaten in two starts since joining Ian Donoghue, Dunboyne looks an interesting contender after his Ulster National win, while the Leinster National scorer Bushmans Pass, trained by Oliver McKiernan, is another set to get into the race off a low weight.
Lord Lariat, the second of two BoyleSports Irish Grand National winners in a row for locally-based Dermot McLoughlin in 2022, and Ted Walsh’s veteran Any Second Now, are other interesting contenders.
Peter Roe, General Manager of Fairyhouse Racecourse, said: “We have had over 20mm of rain in the past 24 hours, after just 4mm in all since March 24. The ground is now yielding and with more rain forecast in the coming days, the ground should be ideal for a huge three days of racing at Fairyhouse. It is also encouraging that the weather is set to improve again for Monday.
“It is great to see such a competitive field remaining for the BoyleSports Irish Grand National and we are looking forward to welcoming everyone to another fantastic renewal of such a historic race.”
Click here for the entries for the BoyleSports Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse on Monday
The Rebecca Curtis-trained Haiti Couleurs, winner of the National Hunt Chase at Cheltenham last month, and the Festival’s Kim Muir Challenge Cup Amateur Jockeys' Handicap Chase runner-up Johnnywho, trained by Jonjo & AJ O’Neill, are two of the six remaining British hopefuls among the 49 acceptors.
The O’Neill team is also responsible for Hasthing, sitting just outside the top 30 horses in the weights which are all guaranteed a run if declared before 10am on Saturday.
The novice Better Days Ahead is the race’s new top-weight and his trainer Gordon Elliott has left in 11 horses, including Favori De Champdou and Shecouldbeanything.
Along with his top hope Now Is The Hour, Gavin Cromwell has seven other remaining entries with Malina Girl and Bioluminescence among them as he seeks a first BoyleSports Irish Grand National success, while two-time winner Willie Mullins has reduced his team to four, with High Class Hero and Quai De Bourbon featuring.
Last year’s winning trainer Tom Gibney is set to rely on Kinturk Kalanisi with Daily Present, a neck in front of Johnnywho when winning at the Cheltenham Festival, a big hope for trainer Paul Nolan.
Unbeaten in two starts since joining Ian Donoghue, Dunboyne looks an interesting contender after his Ulster National win, while the Leinster National scorer Bushmans Pass, trained by Oliver McKiernan, is another set to get into the race off a low weight.
Lord Lariat, the second of two BoyleSports Irish Grand National winners in a row for locally-based Dermot McLoughlin in 2022, and Ted Walsh’s veteran Any Second Now, are other interesting contenders.
Peter Roe, General Manager of Fairyhouse Racecourse, said: “We have had over 20mm of rain in the past 24 hours, after just 4mm in all since March 24. The ground is now yielding and with more rain forecast in the coming days, the ground should be ideal for a huge three days of racing at Fairyhouse. It is also encouraging that the weather is set to improve again for Monday.
“It is great to see such a competitive field remaining for the BoyleSports Irish Grand National and we are looking forward to welcoming everyone to another fantastic renewal of such a historic race.”
Click here for the entries for the BoyleSports Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse on Monday
“We have had over 20mm of rain in the past 24 hours, after just 4mm in all since March 24. The ground is now yielding and with more rain forecast in the coming days, the ground should be ideal for a huge three days of racing at Fairyhouse.
