Four key horses for the Boylesports Irish Grand National

Racing TV

09 April 2023

Four key horses for the Boylesports Irish Grand National

runners and riders, form, Timeform comments and latest betting. And, below, walk the course at Fairyhouse with Ruby Walsh and Robbie Power.

A maximum field of 30 has been declared for the Boylesports Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse on Monday but the stats suggest those carrying 11st or more will be swimming against the tide.

Only one horse in the past 20 years (Our Duke in 2017) has carried more than 11st or more to victory in the £500,000 feature. Moreover, 97 runners have carried that burden or more since 2001 and only six others have made the first four.

That does not augur well for Royale Pagaille, Espanito Bello, Busselton or I Am Maximus.

Five of the past seven winners of the race have been rated between 136 and 139. There are eight who fit in this bracket this year. My four against the field will all shoulder 10st 8lb or less.

1 MAX FLAMINGO

Weight: 10st 8lb. General odds: 25-1

Watch last year's renewal

I put Angels Dawn and Max Flamingo up in an ante-post column a couple of weeks ago. What I didn’t know then is that Francis Casey, the trainer of Max Flamingo, was going to equip his runner with cheekpieces.

Horses wearing first-time headgear in long-distance chases is always worth noting – missing Noble Yeats in the Grand National last year still haunts me – and they won’t need to add much of an edge for Max Flamingo to be in business.

He’s got a good record at the track, including winning at this meeting two years ago, and was not beaten far when seventh in the Irish National as a novice last year. He’d had quite a busy time beforehand but is going to line up a lot fresher than 12 months ago, plus is 2lb lower in the weights.

Jockey Conor Maxwell has a stack of Fairyhouse experience and had a getting-to-know-you ride on Max Flamingo over hurdles at the Dublin Racing Festival.

2 ANGELS DAWN 10-4

Weight: 10st 4lb. Best odds: 12-1 with Coral and Ladbrokes

The Sam Curling-trained mare is thriving and showed plenty of the attributes needed to win this race when landing the Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Chase last month.

She did most of her work on the bridle that day before showing a good attitude to repel Stumptown, the hot favourite, by a neck. The form is rock-solid with Mr Incredible, the Classic Chase runner-up, back in third and Dunboyne, who had previously been edged out in the Thyestes Chase, beaten a total of 13 lengths in fourth.

Angels Dawn had previously looked on course for victory in the 3m 4f Grand National Trial at Punchestown, only for her jockey to be unseated two out. I’ve got no qualms about her staying the trip and, with more rain forecast, she seems sure to get the soft ground she is so effective on.

This represents a tougher task at the weights but a mark of 138 means she still only has 10st 4lb to carry. Only once in her previous 22 races, has she been burdened with less.

3 STUMPTOWN

Weight: 10st. General odds: 10-1

He’s sneaked in at the foot of the weights and everything looks in place for a big run.

The world and his brother wanted to be on him for the Kim Muir at Cheltenham, but the progressive novice came up a bit short against a similarly improving rival in Angels Dawn. He gets an 8lb pull for a neck beating with the winner, which in theory should be enough for him to turn the tables.

However, it is not quite that straightforward. He had a tougher race than Angels Dawn and the longer trip is a question mark, plus he’s had quite a busy season and didn’t jump well on a previous visit to Fairyhouse in November. He’s probably just much more the finished article, with longer trips showing him to much better advantage.

4 CHAMPAGNE PLATINUM

Weight: 10st 1lb. Best odds: 50-1 with Sky Bet (seven places)

He seems to have been around for ever but the JP McManus-owned gelding is still only nine. It was three years ago that he looked a plot horse for the Kim Muir at Cheltenham and he was also well-fancied for the Pertemps Final a year later.

He came up a bit short on both occasions but he ran creditably each time, indicating he would have abig day in him down the line.

Champagne Platinum was switched from Nicky Henderson to Enda Bolger in the autumn of 2021 and, since then, his record has been patchy. But there have still been flashes of hope, including when he was eighth in last year’s Irish National when beaten under ten lengths after a dull effort the previous month.

He's 3lb lower on Monday and he will be fresher than 12 months agao, having had seven weeks off since his encouraging fourth to Coko Beach in the Grand National Trial at Punchestown in February. Sky Bet make him 50-1 and are offering seven places.