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Irish Daily Mirror
21-04-2025
- Sport
- Irish Daily Mirror
Irish Grand National live updates and more from the big race at Fairyhouse
The BoyleSports Irish Grand National takes centre stage today as 30 runners go to the post for the biggest prize in Irish jumps racing. From Desert Orchid to Bobbyjo to I Am Maximus, this race has been won by some of horse racing's most famous names. And this year's edition has the makings of another fascinating contest. Willie Mullins has reigned supreme again this season and will look to add to his Aintree Grand National success. Having already saddled two Grade 1 winners at Fairyhouse on Sunday, Mullins runs two horses in today's feature race. Paul Townend will be on board the Michael O'Leary-owned Quai De Bourbon, who will need to shoulder a big weight to victory. Mullins' team is dwarfed, though, by the team of Gavin Cromwell. The Meath trainer is running seven in the race, including the JP McManus-owned Bioluminescence, who has been heavily backed in recent days. The big race is scheduled at 5pm but there are also plenty of great races to look forward to on the rest of the card. Stay with us for all the action. By Brian Flanagan Will Do can emulate I Am Maximus in 2023 and break his maiden tag over fences in Easter Monday's €500,000 Boylesports Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse. Willie Mullins' subsequent Aintree hero famously won his first chase race in this two years ago and this Gordon Elliott-trained and Gigginstown House-owned gelding should relish the trip and ground today. The eight-year-old only scraped into the field yesterday morning as second reserve following the withdrawal of two runners, including Elliott's Tullybeg, but it could be a last minute move that reaps huge dividends. The ground is likely to be very testing at Fairyhouse and Will Do is a very strong stayer on deep ground and with Kevin Sexton claiming a hugely valuable 7lbs he's gets in here off a very light weight. Despite the fact he's yet to win a race he does boast some good form and finished third behind today's likely favourite Haiti Couleurs in the National Hunt Chase at Cheltenham. "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." There are eight races to look forward to on Irish Grand National day at Fairyhouse Racecourse. It all starts at 2.05 with the Farmhouse Foods Novice Handicap Hurdle. We then have three Grade 2s to look forward to before the big race goes to post at 5.00pm. We will previewing the Grand National throughout the afternoon, so stay with us for all the action.... Running Order - Fairyhouse 21 April 2025 2.05 Farmhouse Foods Novice Handicap Hurdle 2.40 O'Driscoll's Irish Whiskey Juvenile Hurdle (Grade 2) 3.15 Fairyhouse Steel Handicap Hurdle 3.50 Rathbarry & Glenview Studs Hurdle (Grade 2) 4.20 Jack McInerney Memorial Fairyhouse Steeplechase (Grade 2) 5.00 BoyleSports Irish Grand National Steeplechase 5.40 Envirogreen Building Services Handicap Steeplechase 6.10 Leinster Reinforcements & Brazil Piling (Pro/Am) Flat Race
Irish Daily Mirror
21-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Daily Mirror
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. Click on this link or scan the QR code to receive the latest Cheltenham Festival news and top stories from the Irish Mirror direct to your phone on WhatsApp. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. 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)
