The €500,000 BOYLE Sports Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse Racecourse is shaping up to be one of the most competitive renewals in recent years, with a total of 84 entries confirmed for the Easter Monday showpiece on April 6.

Ireland’s most valuable jumps race could also play a decisive role in the destination of the National Hunt trainers’ championship. Gordon Elliott currently leads Willie Mullins by €376,000 in the title race, with both trainers strongly represented among the entries. Mullins is responsible for 20 of the initial field, while Elliott has 15 entered as he bids to secure a first championship crown.

The race has proven notably unpredictable in recent years. Ten different stables have supplied the winner across the last 12 renewals, underlining the open nature of the handicap. Among the standout recent stories, local Ratoath trainer Dermot McLoughlin landed back-to-back victories in 2021 and 2022 with outsiders Freewheeling Dylan (150-1) and Lord Lariat (40-1).

Other recent winners include Rebecca Curtis, Tom Gibney, as well as Mullins and Elliott, who have both tasted success in the race. While shocks are not uncommon, the market has still proven a useful guide, with five of the last eight winners starting at single-figure odds.

Early betting for this year’s race reflects that balance between openness and quality. Bookmakers have installed Oscars Brother, trained by Connor King, and Win Some Lose Some, trained by Padraig Roche, as joint 10-1 favourites. Both horses run in the colours of leading owner JP McManus.

Oscars Brother enhanced his credentials with a fourth-place finish in the Grade 1 Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase at the Cheltenham Racecourse, while Win Some Lose Some was last seen finishing second in a Grade 3 contest at the Dublin Racing Festival.

Among those next in the market at 14-1 is Final Orders, trained by Gavin Cromwell, who recently captured the Cross Country Chase at Cheltenham. British-trained contenders also feature prominently, with Holloway Queen, trained by Nicky Henderson, among eight UK entries following victory in the National Hunt Chase. Johnnywho, trained by Jonjo O’Neill and his son AJ, is another notable contender at 16-1.

Last year’s winning trainer Curtis could return with Newton Tornado, while additional British interest comes from entries by Ben Pauling, Nick Gifford and James Owen.

Two former winners also feature among the entries. Top weight I Am Maximus is rated 167, while Intense Raffles, successful in 2024, is considered well treated in the handicap if rediscovering his best form.

Elsewhere, Spanish Harlem and Captain Cody, both trained by Mullins, add further depth to the field, alongside Hewick for Shark Hanlon and Blaze The Way for Mags Mullins.

“The BOYLE Sports Irish Grand National is always one of the highlights of the Irish racing calendar and this year’s renewal is shaping up to be another incredibly competitive contest,” said Brian O’Keeffe, Media relations Manager of BOYLE Sports.

“With the likes of Oscars Brother and Win Some Lose Some heading the early betting, alongside strong entries from leading trainers on both sides of the Irish Sea, we can’t wait to see it all unfold on Easter Monday.”

“We are hugely excited for this year’s BOYLE Sports Irish Grand National with a very strong set of 84 entries in for the race,” said Fairyhouse General Manager John Sheridan.

“It is also really encouraging to see eight UK based runners in the current list of entries, following Haiti Couleurs’ brilliant win 12 months ago.”

“And a number of Cheltenham Festival winners and placed horses wish to come to Fairyhouse, underlining the strength of the race.”

 

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Image Credit: Boyle Sports

 

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