Baie Des Iles on course for Irish National despite Bobbyjo defeat

Ross O'Sullivan felt Saturday's Bobbyjo Chase came too soon for Baie Des Iles, but the Boylesports Irish Grand National remains very much on her agenda.An easy winner of a Grand National Trial earlier in the month, she was due to contest the Eider over four miles at Newcastle before a change of heart.While she finished third behind Pleasant Company on Saturday, she was beaten a total of 52 lengths. However, O'Sullivan still has his sights set on the April 17 event. "The plan is still the Irish National," said O'Sullivan. "We just felt the race probably came a bit too soon for her - it was only 20 days since Punchestown."We thought we might get away with it and she was 100% going into it, but Katie (Walsh) said she just didn't seem quite as fresh as the time before."We've got six or seven weeks now to get her right for the Irish National, that's a nice break to freshen her up."The saving grace is that we didn't travel for the Eider as that would have really bottomed her."She was still third, the race was just down the road and she picked up black type."