Our Irish Eyes column had winners at 8/1 and 9/1 yesterday, don't miss the Irish Grand National preview and selections.
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More often than not, racing is a fairly simple sport but every now and then, yesterday being a prime example, a horse like Yorkhill will come along and make is much more complicated that it should be.
However, the sport moves on and today we get to watch a horse in the BoyleSports Irish Grand National who is the very antithesis of Yorkhill, albeit they both share one common trait in that they possess class.
When this day rolls around every year, the scramble begins to find the best young, novice who is suitably well-handicapped but on the odd occasion, the answer can stare us in the face. One horse throws his hat in the ring today and no matter what way you look at it, his form stack up with the very best of them. For the last three years he has travelled to the Cheltenham Festival and on each occasion he has run a cracker to finish runner-up.
This year he finished second to the admirable Cause Of Causes who proceeded to fill the runner-up spot in the Aintree Grand National. When you add to his record the fact that he ran in the Irish Grand National last year and failed by a mere short-head to prevail he is even more appealing. He competes off a mark just 2lbs higher today. He carried 10-07 last year but only has 10-02 on his back today. Having lumped 11-04 around Cheltenham just under five weeks ago, the 12 year-old will be forgiven for thinking he is seven years younger today. He has only run twice at the track, both over today's trip and in addition to his aforementioned second in last year's race, he won his only other appearance here under today’s jockey Jack Kennedy.
Sky Bet are paying six places on each-way bets in the Irish Grand National
It goes without saying that in a 30-runner, competitive field such as this that Bless The Wings will need luck in running but considering he has so much in his favour, he looks a very big price at 16/1.
Our Duke is a younger horse and Jessie Harrington is flying so it’s not difficult to see why he is favourite but it is difficult to argue that a horse who has made mistakes on all three of his chase starts is value at 6/1 given he is competing in his first handicap and these fences are very stiff. Of course he could be a future Gold Cup horse running in a handicap, in which case he could blow the field apart, but I’d rather see more evidence first.
The other unexposed horse in the race is Minella Foru and he actually appeals more than Our Duke on many levels for this race. Having won the Paddy Power at Leopardstown 16 months ago, he was raised 12lbs for that effort to 146. He was then off the track for 13 months before making his comeback in a two mile hurdle race when he finished fourth to his owner's Sutton Place. He has been trained with today’s race in mind and has been catching the eye of many people up the Curragh of late. He goes on any ground, having won on both good and heavy, and the only question is whether he can stay the trip or not.
Sky Bet have priced up a special Gigginstown House Stud Irish Grand National
There are some positives to be gleamed from his pedigree, in that he is from the family of Fulke Walwyn’s (somewhat fortunate) 1985 Stayers Hurdle winner Rose Ravine, and whilst that was only over three miles, it offers hope. The two main things in his favour are that he is unexposed and working well and therefore at 14/1 he could be the horse to add the name of that famous Irish racing dynasty Harty to the Irish Grand National trophy for a second time, following the victory of Eddie’s uncle John who rode 1980 winner Daletta.