Mudlarks backed ahead of Irish Grand National

Haiti Couleurs heads betting for Ireland’s richest jumps race

The Rebecca Curtis-trained Haiti Couleurs remains the marginal 6/1 favourite with title sponsors, BoyleSports, ahead of today’s Fairyhouse showpiece, the Irish Grand National.

The Cheltenham Festival winner edges favouritism ahead of locally trained duo Now Is The Hour (15/2) and Bioluminescence (9/1), who both represent Gold Cup winning trainer Gavin Cromwell. The seven-year-old mare remains one the biggest liabilities for the bookies ahead of the €500,000 race after a deluge of rain on Friday caused the opening day of the Easter Festival to be postponed.

With the ground remaining soft, soft-to-heavy in places, a number of mudlarks have proven popular with punters. Last year’s winning trainer, Tom Gibney, fields Kinturk Kalanisi (9/1 from 12/1), Will Do (12/1 from 25/1) is one of a number of representatives for Gordon Elliott, while Ted Walsh’s veteran chaser and last year’s runner-up Any Second Now is now an 18/1 chance (from 25/1).

Cotswold-based trainer Jonjo O’Neill is bidding for a hat-trick of winners in the race having been successful in 2007 with Butler’s Cabin and 2014 with Shutthefrontdoor and is represented by Kim Muir second Jonnywho (12/1) who bids to reverse the form with his Cheltenham conqueror, Daily Present (22/1).

Brian O’Keeffe, spokesperson for BoyleSports, said: “The rain looks set to stay away from Fairyhouse today, but after a number of deluges over the weekend, punters are latching onto proven mudlarks. Bioluminescence is fast becoming a significant liability and owner JP McManus looks to hold a strong hand with Any Second Now and Jonnywho also proving popular.”