Lord Lariat on course to defend Irish Grand National crown

Last year’s winner Lord Lariat tops the 46 acceptors for the BoyleSports Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse on Monday.

A repeat success for Lord Lariat would see him become the first horse to win back-to-back renewals of the race since Brown Lad in 1975 and 1976 and it would also see Dermot McLoughlin become the first trainer in almost 50 years to win three successive Irish Grand Nationals. The trainer, based close to Fairyhouse, also took the 2021 renewal with Freewheelin Dylan.

BoyleSports make Lord Lariat 8-1 to prevail again on Monday but ahead of him in their ante-post betting is the Noel Meade-trained Thedevilscoachman at 6-1. Royale Pagaille, trained by Venetia Williams, tops the weights ahead of Saturday morning’s 48-hour declaration stage. Three horses will be included as reserves at that time and will only make the line up if there are non-runners announced before 10am on Sunday.

One leading fancy not guaranteed to make the cut is the Gavin Cromwell-trained 9-1 chance Stumptown, who will need six horses to come out if he is to be among the final 30. Sam Curling’s Cheltenham Festival heroine Angels Dawn, a 12-1 shot, the Barry Connell-trained Espanito Bello (14-1) and Noel Meade’s Lieutenant Command (25-1) are all recent winners and are guaranteed their places should they be declared.

Gordon Elliott is set to be well represented and the likes of his Cheltenham runner-up Chemical Energy, The Goffer, Ash Tree Meadow and Dunboyne might well be on his team while Willie Mullins could run I Am Maximus, Tenzing and Dolcita.

Martin Brassil saddled Numbersixvalverde to win the Irish Grand National in 2005 and his Panda Boy is another leading early fancy standing his ground along with Francis Casey’s Max Flamingo, seventh in the race last year.

Lawrence Lyons, spokesperson for BoyleSports, said: “Lord Lariat would be the fairytale result with Dermot McLoughlin hunting down a hat-trick and he’s right in the mix as second favourite. But soft ground may just be what the doctor ordered for Thedevilscoachman and with rain forecast this weekend, he’s growing ever more popular with punters.”

Also set to feature on Easter Monday’s card is the Grade Two Rathbarry & Glenview Studs Hurdle for which 12 horses have been entered including Gordon Elliott’s Zanahiyr, the Tony Martin-trained Good Time Jonny, Paddy Corkery’s Master McShee with Monkfish one of four in the race for Willie Mullins.

There are also 12 entries for the Grade Two Donohue Marquees Juvenile Hurdle with Mullins’ Blood Destiny and Gust Of Wind among them, while 11 horses are entered for the Grade Two McInerney Properties Fairyhouse Chase including Pat Foley’s Rebel Gold, Gordon Elliott’s Andy Dufresne and Chacun Pour Soi, Easy Game and Royal Rendezvous from the Willie Mullins yard.

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