Fairyhouse Racecourse in County Meath is preparing for it’s biggest weekend of the year, and to stage the richest day of jump racing that Ireland has ever seen.
Boylesports are in the second year of their sponsorship of the Irish Grand National and are joined on the sponsor list this year by Ryanair, celebrating their 30th anniversary by putting their brand to the Ryanair Gold Cup, a race worth €100,000 and which has attracted some of the stars from Ireland’s success at Cheltenham last month.
The main attraction though, and what could drive the biggest crowd in years at the venue is the final riding appearance on Irish soil of Tony McCoy, one of the greatest and most dominant sporting stars we have ever produced.
McCoy has said he will not be riding at Punchestown as that comes after the conclusion of the National Hunt season in England which he put down as a line in the sand when announcing this would be his final year in the saddle.
Already with an unassailable lead in looking to claim a 20th Jockey’s Championship McCoy will be the star attraction on Easter Monday.
“I’m looking forward to it,” he told RTÉ’s Game On programme last night.
“Fairyhouse is a great track. I’ve been lucky enough to have good success there in the past, and lucky enough to win the Irish National on Butler’s Cabin.”
“Obviously the National is one of the highlights on the Irish jumping calendar. It’d be nice to win it.”
The race is the most watched on television with viewing figures dwarfing any other race and nearing 500,000 at a peak. It’s the one opportunity where those who take little interest in the sport still tune in, organise sweepstakes and cross bookies thresholds for a taste of life on the ‘wrong side’ of nice.
A perfect sponsorship then for Boylesports with a retail estate of over 200 shops and second to Paddy power in terms of market share across online and offline Irish betting.
They may though be licking their wounds if McCoy signs off his career with a second win in the race aboard whichever of the JP McManus owned horses he decides to ride.
Image Credit: Inpho.ie
