Countdown to Irish National
The Paul Webber-trained Cantlow looks set to head the weights for next Monday’s Boylesports Irish Grand National with 11st 7lbs - unless a horse gets in to the race with less than 9st 10lb, the weights will not go up.
Cause of Causes will be one of two runners in the race for Gordon Elliott who will also saddle Jamsie Hall. Elliott stated: “Cause of Causes will run and he has been in good shape since Cheltenham. We haven’t done much with him and the better the ground the better he’ll run.”
Tony Martin could run as many as five as he bids to win the race for the second time and Oscars Well, Sraid Padraig, Gallant Oscar, Living Next Door and Undertheboardwalk are all intended runners.
“They will all run, but Gallant Oscar wouldn’t want the ground to dry out too much. They all seem to be in great form and if they get in, they will all run. Unless it is soft, Big Warrior is unlikely to run.”
Conor O’Dwyer will be represented by Folsom Blue and he stated: “I was placed in the National a good few times as a jockey but I was never lucky enough to win it. It is a great race and my horse seems to be in super order. He does stay well and ideally he would like soft ground. He has a nice weight and that is important to him as he is not over big.”
Dessie Hughes who won the race in 2003 with Timbera plans to run Golden Wonder who had a nice comeback outing when fourth in a handicap chase at Fairyhouse earlier this month: “He seems to be in great form, but I just hope the ground won’t dry out too much as he likes it soft. He ran a nice race there the last day and that should leave him right for the National.”
Tammys Hill supplied Liam Lennon with his biggest success to date when successful in The Foxhunters Chase at Cheltenham and the nine year old is a definite starter in Monday’s contest: “He has been in great form since Cheltenham and I couldn’t be more pleased with him. Cheltenham was the first time that he had his ground all year and the better the ground the better for him. I have asked Brian O’Connell to ride him - he knows the horse and he rode him a few times over hurdles. We are enjoying the build-up to it and it is a dream come true for a small yard like ours to have a runner in an Irish National.”
The ground at Fairyhouse was described as good to yielding by Racecourse Manager Peter Roe who said: “We will put some water on the track tonight. We have eight yards of fresh ground for the National on Monday and the track is in superb condition. There is 4-5 millimetres of rain due late on Sunday. Some showers are forecast to arrive between now and the weekend.”?