Latest news with #BetterDaysAhead
Daily Record
21-04-2025
- Sport
- Daily Record
I'm an Irish Grand National jockey riding a 50/1 shot but I really fancy the second favourite to win at Fairyhouse
O'Keeffe is a Cheltenham winner who was won on Galopin Des Champs and is thinking Irish at Fairyhouse Respected jockey Sean O'Keeffe senses trainer Gavin Cromwell's sensational year will continue by winning the Irish Grand National. O'Keeffe is a Cheltenham Festival winner who was won on Galopin Des Champs, now he is utterly convinced Cromwell will continue on a burgeoning year which includes Inothewayurthinkin in the Gold Cup and Stumptown in the Cross Country at this year's Cheltenham. Now O'Keeffe – riding Another Choice – fancies highly touted Now is The Hour to step up and deliver a glorious victory at Fairyhouse. Punters are expecting a treat after the thrills at Aintree and Ayr in recent weeks. Speaking to horse racing odds: "In these big chases, a lot can happen. You can go out with a plan but then you have to take it as it comes a lot of the time, a lot can happen with a big field. It's a great start, 30 runners spread across the track. It is a case of getting over the first three and then finding a nice position and getting into the rhythm, it is just another race after that. "There is a lot of history to the race, you look at the greats that have won it in previous years. There is always new history to the race too, as well as the old videos, that always adds to it. "Maybe High Class Hero of Willie's he is probably better than what he has shown over fences this year, he got beat the last time out on quick enough ground at Thurles so stepping up, on lovely ground at Fairyhouse, I would say he could be just a bit better than his handicap mark. "I'd like Gavin Cromwell's horse, Now Is The Hour. He seems to have been lined up for the National Hunt Chase at Cheltenham and he was going to run a really big race when he fell at the second last, there is definitely a big pot in him. If he's been kept fresh with this, he has some form with Captain Cody at Navan who won the Scottish National, so I'd say he could get compensated now in the Irish National." Here is the full list of Irish Grand National runners and riders: Better Days Ahead (Rob James) Quai De Bourbon (Paul Townend) Johnnywho (Derek O'Connor) Bioluminescence (Keith Donoghue) Harry Des Ongrais (Rachael Blackmore) Duffle Coat (Alex Harvey) Favori De Champdou (Danny Gilligan) Search For Glory (Sam Ewing) Sequestered (Jack Gilligan) Desertmore House (JJ Slevin) Malina Girl (Sean Flanagan) Panda Boy (Ricky Doyle) Yeah Man (Kieren Buckley) Haiti Couleurs (Sean Bowen) Now Is The Hour (Conor Stone-Walsh) Shecouldbeanything (Jordan Gainford) Sa Majeste (Simon Torrens) Any Second Now (Mark Walsh) Lord Lariat (Paddy O'Hanlon) Stuzzikini (Gearoid Brouder) Tullybeg (TP Harney) Daily Present (Aidan Kelly) Mint Boy (Kevin Sexton) Dunboyne (Donagh Meyler) Final Orders (Patrck O'Brien) Kinturk Kalanisi (Darragh O'Keeffe) Bushmans Pass (Philip Enright) Moonovercloon (Ben Harvey) Hasthing (Brian Hayes) Noble Birth (Daniel King) You can get all the news you need on our dedicated Rangers and Celtic pages, and sign up to our newsletters to make sure you never miss a beat throughout the season. We're also WhatsApp where we bring all the latest breaking news and transfer gossip directly to your phone. Join our Rangers community here and our Celtic community here.
The Sun
21-04-2025
- Sport
- The Sun
Irish Grand National horse numbers 2025 – full list of runners and riders for Fairyhouse showpiece
Nyle Smith, Sport SEO Editor Published: Invalid Date, THE Irish Grand National is here with 30 runners all seeking the top prize at Fairyhouse. And you will notice each horse has a number on them to track during the big race. Follow yours with the FULL list of runners and numbers for the National below... 1 1 Better Days Ahead Jockey: Rob James 2 Quai De Bourbon Jockey: Paul Townsend 3 Johnnywho Jockey: Derek O'Connor 4 Bioluminscence Jockey: Keith Donoghue 5 Harry Des Ongrais Jockey: Rachael Blackmore 6 Duffle Coat Jockey: Alex Harvey 7 Favori De Champdou Jockey: Danny Giligan 8 Search For Glory Jockey: Sam Ewing 9 Sequestered Jockey: Jack Gilligan 10 Desertmore House Jockey: JJ Slevin 11 Malina Girl Jockey: Sean Flanagan 12 Panda Boy Jockey: Ricky Doyle 13 Yeah Man Jockey: Kieran Buckley 14 Haiti Couleurs Jockey: Sean Bowen 15 Now Is The Hour Jockey: Conor Stone-Walsh 16 Shecouldbeanything Jockey: Jordan Gainford 17 Sa Majeste Jockey: Simon Torrens 18 Any Second Now Jockey: Mark Walsh 19 Lord Lariat Jockey: Paddy O'Hanlon 20 Stuzzikini Jockey: Gearoid Brouder 21 Daily Present Jockey: Aidan Kelly 22 Mint Boy Jockey: Kevin Sexton 23 Dunboyne Jockey: Donagh Meyler 24 Final Orders Jockey: Patrick O'Brien 25 Kinturk Kalanisi Jockey: Darragh O'Keeffe 26 Bushmans Pass Jockey: Philip Enright 27 Moonovercloon Jockey: Ben Harvey 28 Noble Birth Jockey: Daniel King 29 Another Choice Jockey: Sean O'Keeffe 30 Will Do Jockey: Harry Sexton Remember to gamble responsibly A responsible gambler is someone who: For help with a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133 or go to to be excluded from all UK-regulated gambling websites.
The Independent
11-03-2025
- Sport
- The Independent
Cheltenham Placepot Tips: Day Two Placepot Bets For £750,000 Prize Pool
After the thrills and spills of the opening day of the 2025 Cheltenham Festival, race fans are treated to another brilliant curtain raiser with an all-star cast assembled for the Turners Novices' Hurdle (1.20pm). The unbeaten Final Demand, imperious at the Dublin Racing Festival, tackles leading British novice The New Lion, himself yet to taste defeat in four starts, three over obstacles. Willie Mullins' Closutton base have always held Final Demand in high esteem, and he certainly vindicated the faith last time. He is a banker for the placepot, and his chief rival in the Cheltenham odds should also be included as insurance. At the time of writing, seven runners are listed on betting sites for the Brown Advisory Novices' Chase (2.00pm), all Irish trained, meaning there are just two places up for grabs. Ballyburn could well secure one of those spots, but in the off chance he doesn't stay as strongly in this as he has been doing over shorter trips, let's add Better Days Ahead and Gorgeous Tom as a precaution and hopefully we can double up. The Coral Cup (2.40pm) is notorious for providing shocks, but it will be a surprise if the progressive duo Be Aware or Impose Toi don't take a hand in the finish given the record of their respective handlers. If there is to be a shock, then Beckett Road could provide it given he looked an improved horse over two-and-a-half miles at Fairyhouse last month and he has already beaten the well-fancied Bunting. Stumptown is reported to be one of his stable's strongest fancies of the week in the Glenfarclass Cross Country Chase (3.20pm) and the course and distance winner could repeat his display here before Christmas when accounting for Mister Coffey and Busselton. The wheels will seriously have to come off for Jonbon not to place in the BetMGM Queen Mother Champion Chase (4.00pm). Although the nine-year-old has recorded better data away from Cheltenham, he is 8-8 with Nico de Boinville on board so he ought to take all the beating as he searches for an elusive first Festival success. Jazzy Matty, a former winner at the Festival when landing the Fred Winter Handicap Hurdle under the much-missed Michael O'Sullivan two years ago, looks to have had the Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Chase (4.40pm) as a target all season. As a lightly raced chaser with some experience of Cheltenham, he makes some appeal on horse racing betting sites and is added to the perm alongside the talented, if enigmatic, My Mate Mozzie who should relish the likelihood of a strong gallop. Last year's winner Unexpected Party is being brought to a peak by his shrewd handler and, although no horse has gone back-to-back in this race in more than 60 years, he should go close to rewriting history. Cheltenham Day Two Placepot Perm 1.20 1 Final Demand 10 The New Lion 2.00 1 Ballyburn 2 Better Days Ahead 4 Gorgeous Tom 2.40 11 Impose Toi 17 Be Aware 12 Beckett Rock 3.20 1 Stumptown 11 Mister Coffey 12 Busselton 4.00 4 Jonbon 4.40 3 My Mate Mozzie 7 Unexpected Party 15 Jazzy Matty 2x3x3x3x1x3 = 162 lines Responsible Gambling Remember to gamble responsibly. It's easy to get carried away during big betting events like the Cheltenham Festival, but it's vital bettors stick to a budget and no matter the circumstances, never chase your losses. When using gambling sites be aware that sports betting can be addictive so please take steps to remain in control of your time and budget. The same applies whether you're using new betting sites, slot sites, casino sites, casino apps, or any other gambling medium. It's particularly important not to get carried if you receive a casino bonus or any free bets, which are available in abundance before and during the Cheltenham Festival, but must be approached with caution. You can stay in control by making use of the responsible gambling tools offered, such as deposit limits, loss limits, self-exclusion and time-outs. You may also want to visit the following free organisations to discuss any issues with gambling you might be having:
