Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse

Easter Monday means lots of low grade jumps racing in the U.K., but it also means a high class card in Ireland at Fairyhouse featuring 4 graded races and the biggest race of the day, the Irish Grand National over 3 miles 5 furlongs at 18.00 CET. With 30 runners this is as tough as the Aintree version coming up on Saturday - and indeed favourite for the latter race is Shutthefrontdoor, who won the Fairyhouse race last year. He is owned by JP McManus, who has 3 runners this time, with his main jockey AP McCoy on Cantlow, trained by Paul Webber; his form figures read terribly, but he is actually well handicapped now and runs for the first time in a tongue tie and definitely comes on to the short list. Another owner keen to win the race is Gigginstown with no fewer than 6 runners- the ones we like best are Thunder and Roses (Sandra Hughes/ Katie Walsh) and Rogue Angel (Mouse Morris/ Nina Carberry).Willie Mullins, strangely enough, has never won this race and now saddles Perfect Gentleman (Ruby Walsh) and Dogora (Paul Townend). Heavily tipped this morning are Los Amigos (Jim Dreaper/ Andrew Lynch) and Empire of Dirt (Colm Murphy/ Luke Dempsey), another Gigginstown runner. Obviously almost any runner could win this; stamina on this ground and good jumping are the prime requirements, but luck in running will be the deciding factor and we hope for a win by one of the two young ladies riding for Gigginstown.
As always Mullins is strongly represented in the graded races, but he did not do as well yesterday as could have been expected and so we are treating his runners with caution. In fact we like the stable´s third choice in the opening 4yo hurdle at 15.45, the ex-German Whiteoak (David Casey); this filly won her only start with the greatest of ease and is taking a huge leap in grade here, as is Sam Red (Alan Fleming/ Adrian Heskin), who finished behind her on his debut but has since won in spectacular style. Mullins also saddles 3 runners in the2 1/2 mile hurdle including last year´s winner Thousand Stars (Walsh); at his best the 11yo would win this, but he has not run since the French Champion Hurdle last June and that looks his target again, so form today we prefer Noble Endeavour (Gordon Eölliott/ Robbie Colgan). Mullins´ best chance is possibly Vroum Vroum Mag (Walsh) in the mares chase at 18.35 but here we like Jessica Harrington´ s Burn and Turn (Robbie Power) in receipt of 5 lbs.
There is also Irish racing at Cork, with 3 flat races followed by 2 bumpers and 2 hunter chases. Main event is the listed Cork Stakes over 6 furlongs at 16.30, where the field includes two previous winners in An Saighdur and Bold Thady Quill, but more dangerous could be British raider Aetna (Mick Easterby/ JP O´Brien) and Gathering Power (Eddie Lynam/ Pat Smullen). It is still not clear that Joseph can do the weight, so we go for Smullen, our favourite Irish Jockey.
Fans of German breeding should look at the two maiden races at Redcar, the only other flat card on turf today. Stay Strong at 15.45 is a Monsun colt closely related to Samum, while Well Off at 16.20 is another Monsun colt out of a listed winner; both are owned by Godolphin, trained by Saeed bin Suroor and ridden by James Doyle.

Betting forecast:
1. Race: Dicosimo - Prussian Eagle - Buiseness Sivola
2. Race: Thousand Stars - Dedigout - Analifet
3. Race: I Shot The Sheriff - Flaming Dawn - Fever Pitch
4. Race: Sempre Medici - Blair Perrone - Max Dynamite
5. Race: Cantlow - Perfect Gentleman - If In Doubt
6. Race: Byerley Babe - Burn And Turn - Dazzling Susie
7. Race: Its The Ice I Like - Coolaghknock Glebe - Ibetellingyoualie
8. Race: Space Cadet - Anibale Fly - Ice Cold Soul