Elliott dominates as Fairyhouse National sees 124 entries
With entries for the BoyleSports Irish Grand National published today, leading trainer Gordon Elliott dominates with 28 horses, the most of any trainer in the race and he is responsible for the early top-weight Outlander.
A top contender for the Cheltenham Gold Cup, Outlander has been handed 11st 10lbs while his stable companions Empire Of Dirt and Don Poli are next on the list with 11st 8bs and 11st 7lbs respectively. All three horses are owned by Gigginstown House Stud who have won the race for the past two years. Elliott has also entered last year’s runner-up, Bless The Wings, who has been given 9st 11lbs.
Laubched at Mouse Morris' Tipperary stables this mornig, the €500,000 BoyleSports Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse on Easter Monday, April 17th, now the most valuable National Hunt race in Ireland, will go a long way towards deciding the outcome of this season’s champion National Hunt trainer.
Longwood-based trainer Elliott has yet to win the race, as has the current champion trainer, Willie Mullins, who has made 14 entries, headed by Alelchi Inois on 11st 5lbs. His leading novice chaser Bellshill has been given 10st 9lbs. Mullins has also entered his recent Fairyhouse winner Pleasant Company on 10st 8lbs. Pleasant Company beat 2015 BoyleSports Irish Grand National winner Thunder And Roses to win the Grade 3 At The Races Bobbyjo Chase at the course at the end of last month.
Eight of the first ten horses home in last year’s BoyleSports Irish Grand National have been entered again with the Mouse Morris-trained winner, Rogue Angel, set to carry 10st 1lb this time. Morris has made five entries including Alpha Des Obeaux on 10st 7lbs and Thunder And Roses, the winner of the race two years ago, on 10st 6lbs. Folsom Blue finished fourth for Morris in 2016 and has been allotted 9st 6lbs at this early stage after his success at Navan on Saturday. The Grade 1 winning novice chaser Our Duke, trained by Jessica Harrington, is a notable entry and is set to carry 10st 13lbs while another top novice chaser, Joseph O'Brien’s Edwulf is on 10st 12lbs.
The cross-channel challenge numbers 24 horses compared to 11 last year. Successful with Butlers Cabin in 2007 and Shutthefrontdoor in 2014, Jonjo O’Neill is one of 14 British-based trainers with entries in the BoyleSports Irish Grand National. O’Neill has entered five horses with Shutthefrontdoor on 10st 4lbs, Minella Rocco on 11st 4lbs and More Of That with 11st 3lbs.
David Pipe, whose father Martin won the race with Omerta, ridden by then amateur rider Adrian Maguire, in 1991 has made four entries. The quartet is headed by Un Temps Pour Tout on 11st 1lb. No stranger to recent success at Fairyhouse, Kerry Lee has entered both Bishops Road (10st 5lbs) and Goodtoknow (10st 1lb). Kim Bailey has also put two in the race with Harry Topper given 10st and Knockanrawley on 9st 8lbs while also doubly represented at the initial entry stage in Paul Nichols who could be represented by Saphir Du Rheu (11st 2lbs) and Le Mercurey (10st 10lbs). With 9st 10lbs, Vyta Du Roc could carry the hopes of Nicky Henderson.
BoyleSports Irish Grand National betting
10 The Crafty Butcher
10 Noble Endeavor
10 Mall Dini
14 Minella Foru
14 Outlander
14 Saphir Du Rheu
14 Pleasant Company
14 Alpha Des Obeaux
14 Our Duke
16 Squouateur
16 Killer Miller
16 Bonny Kate
16 Arbre De Vie
16 Measureofmydreams
16 Ucello Conti
16 Coney Island
16 Don Poli
16 Empire Of Dirt
20 Ballynagour
20 Dedigout
20 Doctor Harper
20 Doing Fine
20 Holywell
20 Carlingford Lough
20 Minella Rocco
20 More Of That
20 Edwulf
20 Foxrock
20 Roi Des Francs
20 Bellshill
20 Cause Of Causes
20 Gangster
20 Thunder And Roses
20 Baie Des Iles
20 Vics Canvas
20 Martello Tower
20 Raz De Maree
20 Road To Respect
20 Haymount
20 Marinero
20 Prince Of Scars
20 Texas Jack
20 Oscar Knight
20 Blazer
20 Rightdownthemiddle
20 Minella For Value
20 Forever Gold
20 Shutthefrontdoor
20 Un Temps Pour Tout
20 Vyta Du Roc
25 Retour En France
25 All Hell Let Loose
25 Fletchers Flyer
25 Another Hero
25 Bachasson
25 Goodtoknow
25 Harry Topper
25 Knockanrawley
25 Le Mercurey
25 Mystical Knight
25 Pendra
25 Regal Encore
25 Alelchi Inois
25 Road To Riches
25 Lord Scoundrel
25 The Tullow Tank
25 A Toi Phil
25 The Game Changer
25 Monksland
25 Wounded Warrior
25 Lord Windermere
25 Three Kingdoms
25 Tiger Roll
25 Ball D'arc
25 Stellar Notion
25 General Principle
25 Bellow Mome
25 First Lieutenant
25 Sambremont
25 Abolitionist
25 Rogue Trader
25 Balbir Du Mathan
25 Full Cry
25 Rolly Baby
25 Tulsa Jack
25 Seeyouatmidnight
33 Folsom Blue
33 Bishops Road
33 Double Seven
33 Flaxen Flare
33 Gas Line Boy
33 Gevrey Chambertin
33 Looking Well
33 Clarcam
33 Tell Us More
33 Rogue Angel
33 Bless The Wings
33 Heron Heights
33 Polidam
33 Realt Mor
33 Stone Hard
33 Venitien De Mai
33 Westerners Son
33 Art Of Payroll
33 Sizing Coal
33 Dare To Endeavour
33 Hash Brown
50 Net D'Ecosse
50 Damut
50 Captain Von Trappe
50 Mad Brian
50 Definite Ruby
50 Sonny B
50 Not For Burning
50 Kilford
50 Killer Crow
50 Bearly Legal
50 New Kid in Town
50 Call It Magic
50 Double Scores
50 Caras Oscar
50 Fine Theatre
50 Akorakor
66 Heist
EW 1/4 1, 2, 3, 4