Irish Grand National 2025 tips: Selections for all eight races at Fairyhouse
Progressive Haiti Couleurs and English champion-jockey elect Sean Bowen might give Wales a first victory in the BoyleSports Irish Grand National.
The traditional €500,000 Easter Monday showpiece last went for export when Shutthefrontdoor triumphed in 2014 for Jonjo O'Neill, who runs Johnnywho today.
But Haiti Couleurs has the ideal profile for the race. A late developing eight-year-old, he's a progressive novice, jumps and stays well and comes here on the back of a convincing win in Cheltenham's National Hunt (Handicap) Chase.
That victory proved his stamina, as he beat Rock My Way by four and a half lengths, with Will Do, who reopposes today, back in third.
Trained by Rebecca Curtis, the selection is now 6lb higher and gets the vote to confirm form with Will Do and Now Is The Hour, one of six runners for Gavin Cromwell in today's race, who was Haiti Couleurs' nearest pursuer, travelling well, when he capsized at the second last.
But the Curtis gelding has far more experience over fences than Cromwell's charge. And that will stand to him in this 30-runner affair.
He has won three of his four chase starts, kicking off with a win, off 125, at Aintree in November before following-up at Cheltenham the following month.
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Third to Santos Blue at Newbury next time, he then fulfilled his potential at Cheltenham and, despite a rise in the ratings, he looks well-placed to run a massive race for Bowen, cleared to ride today thanks to a reduction of a six-day suspension.
Haiti Couleurs likes to race prominently, making use of his jumping. And that quality should enable him to stay out of trouble in what is always a tough race.
Now Is The Hour hasn't hit the target over fences yet but shaped well when third to Three Card Brag at Navan before his Cheltenham mishap.
He must be on the shortlist here, along with stable-companion Bioluminescence, lightly-raced over fences but a Grade 2 winner in this sphere and runner-up to Spindleberry (a winner again yesterday) at Fairyhouse last time.
And another Cromwell hope, Noble Birth, successful on this track in January, has sneaked into the bottom of the handicap and must not be ruled out.
Gordon Elliott is responsible for seven of the 30 runners, including novice top weight Better Days Ahead, third to Lecky Watson in the Brown Advisory at Cheltenham, last time and reserve Will Do, who is guaranteed a run.
Willie Mullins, splitting his focus between the British Trainers Championship and domestic action, runs two, with Paul Townend on novice Quai De Bourbon, a casualty in Grade 1 company at both Cheltenham and Aintree.
Peter O'Hehir's tips for Fairyhouse
2.05 King In Love
2.40 Its Bilbo
3.15 Oscars Brother
3.50 Maxxum
4.20 Heart Wood (Nap)
5.00 Haiti Couleurs
5.40 Folly Master
6.10 Shuttle Diplomacy
Next Best
2.05 Aurea Fortuna
2.40 Blue Lemons
3.15 Come Walk With Me
3.50 KopeckDe Mee
4.20 Found A Fifty
5.00 Bioluminescence
5.40 Better Times Ahead
6.10 Sortudo
Double: Heart Wood and Folly Master.
O'Hehir's Longshot: Kaptain Bay (2.05)
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