IT’S going to be tough going in the Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse this afternoon and Intense Raffles is fancied to emerge on top after a gruelling three miles and five furlongs.
The French-import has been really impressive in two victories around the course this year since joining trainer Tom Gibney.
He jumped spectacularly well when taking a four-runner contest by a wide margin here in February and this was always ear-marked as his big day.
The handicapper stuck him up 13lb for that 43-length victory but the six-year-old still looks unexposed and he may not have a handle on him yet.
Testing conditions didn’t seem an issue last time and the way he jumps is going to be a major plus in the hustle and bustle of a national.
This has traditionally been a good race for unexposed novices and Intense Raffles looks to fit the bill.
Willie Mullins has won two of the last four runnings of the race and it’s no surprise to see Nick Rockett installed as a short enough priced favourite.
The Walk In The Park gelding has kept good company in his three outings over fences this term and his defeat of Tactical Move here on New Year’s Day was a particularly good effort.
Like a lot of these, this extreme distance is a question mark and he couldn’t overhaul American Mike over three miles at Navan on his last outing.
He has the potential to improve again from that performance but his price looks skinny enough.
One horse that will see out the trip is the Gavin Cromwell-trained Yeah Man, winner of the Grand National Trial at Haydock last time.
The Westerner gelding handled testing conditions that day when scoring over three-and-a-half miles and despite getting another 7lb rise for that win he has to be on any shortlist.
Cromwell has another leading contender in Hartur D’arc, who has improved since joining the yard over the winter.
It’s another highly competitive renewal of the race but Tom Gibney is fancied to strike again in a race which propelled him into the spotlight 12 years ago with the victory of Lion Na Bearnai.
The chief support act is the Grade Two chase on the card and Saint Sam looks the class act in the €100,000 contest.
He returned in fine form when winning the Red Mills Chase over a similar trip at Gowran in mid-February and despite giving weight to his rivals now should prove too strong.
In the preceding Grade Two hurdle, Zarak The Brave looks another likely one for the champion trainer.
The Zarak gelding was a fine fourth in the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham just under three weeks ago and this certainly looks like an easier task now for the Galway Hurdle winner.
Mullins runs three in the Grade Twojuvenile hurdle but preference here is for the Gavin Cromwell-trained Bottler’secret.
The Dragon Pulse gelding looked very smart on his jumping debut at Naas in February when quickening up in good style to land a Grade Three prize.
He has to give 10lb to a couple of the Mullins fillies in this, which looks a tough enough task, but it wouldn’t appear to be the strongest race for this level.