'Chasing a Dream' - documentary on 150 years of Fairyhouse Grand National

The Grand National may not be going ahead at Fairyhouse this weekend, but there is a treat in store as 'The Irish Grand National - Chasing a Dream', airs on TG4 on Saturday 11th April, at 7.45 pm.

'The Irish Grand National - Chasing a Dream' chronicles the illustrious history of the iconic race, this year due to celebrate its 150th anniversary. The programme is contextualised with transformative events in Irish history. It’s told by generations of racing families such as Carberry, Dreaper, Moore, Mullins, Taaffe, Walsh and Woods members. Others who relay their own personal accounts include Ann Ferris, David Elsworth, Dessie Scahill, Jenny Pitman, Richard Dunwoody and Robert Hall.
The documentary features many outstanding racehorses, the likes of Arkle, Brown Lad and Desert Orchid, who have taken their place in sports folklore. But part of the allure of the race, is that you don’t have to be a celebrity racehorse to be victorious and horses including 50-1 shot, Liberty Counsel in 2013, have proved this.
The show also traces the origin of steeplechasing in 1752, when two gentlemen challenged each other to a race, between the church steeples of Buttevant and Doneraile in Cork, hence the name steeplechasing.
Horse Racing Ireland hopes to run the 2020 Boylesports Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse during the winter racing season.
Last week, the board of Horse Racing Ireland (HRI) agreed it was prudent to bring the 2019/2020 National Hunt season to a close at this point, due to the Covid-19 situation. The Board also discussed a strategy that would allow Irish racing to return as quickly as possible once it is appropriate to do so and within Government guidelines. The Board recognised that, at least initially, racing would restart on the Flat and most likely behind closed doors, with adherence to strict social distancing protocols as were successfully operated at ten race fixtures in March.
The spring festivals at Fairyhouse and Punchestown will not be rescheduled. Instead an enhanced National Hunt programme from October to December 2020 will be revealed later this year and it is intended to include in that programme the 2020 BoyleSports Irish Grand National.