Latest Exhibition tops Irish National field as Tiger Roll heads to Aintree

Latest Exhibition heads the weights for the BoyleSports Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse on Easter Monday after Tiger Roll was taken out of the race at the final declaration stage.

The dual Grand National hero will head back to Aintree instead next week for the Betway Bowl.

Tiger Roll’s owners Gigginstown House Stud have four Irish National runners – Coko Beach, Mortal, Run Wild Fred and Roaring Bull – plus one of the three reserves, Eurobot.

The absence of Tiger Roll has meant an 10lb rise in the weights, with the Paul Nolan-trained novice Latest Exhibition set to carry 11st 10lb.

_Paul Nolan had lots to juggle before deciding which race Latest Exhibition should run in at Fairyhouse _

The eight-year-old steps into handicap company for the first time after finishing second to Monkfish in two Grade One contests at Leopardstown over the winter. He sidestepped another clash with Willie Mullins’ exciting prospect at last month’s Cheltenham Festival to wait for this weekend.

Mullins is well-represented with a team of five – Brahma Bull, Salsaretta, Agusta Gold, Dragon D’estruval and Robin De Carlow. Among other fancied runners to stand their ground are Sempo and The Big Dog.

Escaria Ten, third in the National Hunt Challenge cup at Cheltenham, is one of four contenders for Denise Foster.

The Philip Hobbs-trained Jerrysback is the only English runner.

Peter Roe, General Manager of Fairyhouse Racecourse, said: “We are delighted to have a quality field for the €400,000 BoyleSports Irish Grand National with the runners headed by leading novice Latest Exhibition for the Paul Nolan yard and our Porterstown winner Court Maid for Tom Mullins.

"The ground is currently yielding with a mainly dry forecast, selective watering has commenced. We are looking forward to a great weekend of racing which can be viewed on a wide variety of channels from RTE to Racing TV, TG4 to ITV. While the meeting is behind closed doors there is no need to miss any of the action.”

The card at Fairyhouse on Easter Sunday features two Grade 1 races and nine horses, including the Denise Foster-trained Conflated and Andy Dufresne, Willie Mullins’ Franco De Port and Asterion Forlonge, Joseph O'Brien’s Scarlet And Dove and Henry de Bromhead’s January Jets, will go to post for The Underwriting Exchange Gold Cup Novice Chase.

A total of 14 horses have been declared for the Grade One Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares Novice Hurdle Championship Final with Mullins responsible for four, Royal Illusion, Glens Of Antrim, Gauloise and Hook Up.

The Shark Hanlon-trained Skyace, fourth in the Grade Two Parnell Properties Mares´ Novices´ Hurdle at Cheltenham runs as does previous Fairyhouse winner Roseys Hollow, trained by Jonathan Sweeney, which will be bidding to add to her success in the Grade 3 Race Displays Solerina Mares Novice Hurdle at the course in February. Henry de Bromhead’s Atlantic Fairy and Tom Gibney’s Rhythm Divine are other notable runners.

The Paddy Kehoe Suspended Ceilings Novice Hurdle is the first of two Grade Two races on the day and among the nine runners is Paddy Corkery’s Master McShee. Noel Meade’s Thedevilscoachman, Mullins Echoes In Rain and the Foster-trained Call Me Lyreen also take their chance.

The Grade Two Colm Quinn BMW Novice Hurdle is another that features on the strong Sunday card and heading the ten runners are Mouse Morris’ Gentlemansgame, the Foster-trained Grand Paradis, Jessica Harrington’s Ashdale Bob and the Mullins-trained Egality Mans.