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QUAI DE BOURBON – GRAND NATIONAL 2026: YOUNG CHASING PROSPECT WHO HASN'T HIT FORM THIS SEASON
Quai de Bourbon enters the 2026 Grand National runners field as a 7-year-old gelding trained by W.P. Mullins for Gigginstown House Stud. This good-topped gelding represents a young prospect with promising pedigree but concerning recent form and multiple questions that would need to be addressed.
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Early Promise and Hurdles Record
Quai de Bourbon showed genuine promise over hurdles. He won his Irish debut at Naas in December 2023 in a novice hurdle, followed by wins at Clonmel (January 2024) and Ayr (April 2024). His hurdles record included a respectable third in the Martin Pipe at the Cheltenham Festival (March 2024) over 20.3 furlongs on heavy ground.
The Timeform assessments were consistently positive: "looks a smart stayer in the making" and "likely to learn plenty from this experience and develop into a smart sort over fences granted a stiffer test."
His hurdles rating of 144 from Timeform suggested genuine potential.
Chasing Development and Early Setbacks
Quai de Bourbon's chasing record has presented challenges:
- December 2024 (novice, Leopardstown, 21.3 furlongs): Third of 7—"shaped with plenty of encouragement" but "headed soon after last"
- January 2025 (novice, Gowran, 20 furlongs): Won by 0.5 lengths. The comment noted "likely to learn plenty" and "will be suited by 3m"
- March 2025 (Grade 1, Cheltenham, 24.5 furlongs): Unseated—"overcame a peck at the fifth that saw him drop to the back but not an error at the fourth last, unseating an amateur"
- April 2025 (Grade 1, Aintree, 25 furlongs): Brought down at fourteenth—"patiently ridden, yet to be asked for effort when brought down fourteenth"
That's two races during his novice chasing season resulting in non-completions – not the most encouraging for Grand National prospects.
The Highlight So Far
April 2025 (handicap, Fairyhouse, 29.2 furlongs): Third of 30. The Timeform assessment was positive: "didn't arrive on the back of an ideal preparation but acquitted himself really well on handicap chase debut and his first try at a marathon trip, no shame in following home the first and second; in touch, slow fourth, not fluent 5 out, headway from next, ridden before 2 out, bumped there, no extra run-in."
Finishing third of 30 in the Irish Grand National Chase, 9¾ lengths behind Haiti Couleurs (who themselves is a strong contender for this year's Grand National) —was respectable and suggested he could develop capability over marathon distances.
Recent Form and Concerns
However, since his April 2025 Fairyhouse effort:
November 2025 (handicap, Navan, 24 furlongs): Pulled up—"appeared to have plenty in his favour but proved a major let-down after 7 months off; taken wide, mid-field, lost touch before 4 out, pulled up next"
January 2026 (handicap, Gowran, 25 furlongs): Pulled up—"hasn't got going this season, absent 9 weeks since the Troytown and meeting the same fate as he had then; close up, slow tenth, 4 out, lost place when ridden straight, beaten when blundered 2 out"
Two consecutive pull-ups in November 2025 and January 2026 are a cause for concern in how he could perform over the extended Grand National distance and are not the ideal prep runs you would have hoped for.
The Bounce Back?
March 2026 (Listed handicap, Leopardstown, 21.6 furlongs): Third of 16—"back on track tried in headgear for the first time since early in his career in France, always handy back down in trip and sticking to his task much better than of late having led briefly early in the straight"
His March 2026 third represents a return to form, but it came at a much shorter distance (2m4f) than his Irish Grand National best (29.2 furlongs). This distance pattern would need clarification.
Distance and Staying Questions
Quai de Bourbon is longest completed race is the Irish Grand National over 3m5f, meaning he has just about hit the credentials of what we would consider a marathon handicap. Nonetheless, this is his sole effort over such a distance and the following 2 runs over 3m and 3m1f were so dissapointing it is hard to be bullish about his staying credentials.
Age and Development Profile
At 7 years old, Quai de Bourbon is among the youngest Grand National runners. In theory, this provides advantages regarding athleticism and development potential. However, his recent pull-ups and form regression suggest his development trajectory has been interrupted and would need to be re-established.
His hurdles record was strong, but his chasing development has encountered setbacks that would need to be overcome. Plus seven-year-old Grand National winners are rare, Noble Yeats was the first to win it at that age since 1940.
Rating and Form Level
His Timeform rating of 150 places him on paper among respectable company. However, his demonstrated chasing form—third in an Irish Grand National Chase, followed by pull-ups and regression—suggests he is still learning and not yet at the top of his game.
Expert Opinion
The most revealing comment came after his April 2025 Fairyhouse third: "didn't arrive on the back of an ideal preparation but acquitted himself really well on handicap chase debut and his first try at a marathon trip."
That assessment—"ideal preparation" not available and "first try at a marathon trip"—suggests his Fairyhouse effort was encouraging given circumstances, it could hint that with ideal prep his marathon credentials could be solid
However, he arrives at the Grand National with not ideal preparation again follow his subsequent pull-ups this season.
Verdict
Quai de Bourbon represents a speculative prospect among the 2026 Grand National runners. While his hurdles record was promising and his Fairyhouse Irish Grand National third was respectable, his subsequent form has presented significant questions.
Most significantly:
- Two consecutive pull-ups: November 2025 and January 2026 are not ideal preparation.
- Marathon distance unproven: One respectable effort (Fairyhouse) followed by pull-ups, suggesting distance capability remains to be definitively established
- Early chasing setbacks: Unseated and brought down during novice season
- Recent regression: Required return to shorter distances (21.6 furlongs) for competitive effort in March 2026
- Young and still developing: At 7, he is still learning but current trajectory would need to reverse
For those seeking a Grand National runner with proven marathon form and demonstrated elite-level chasing capability, Quai de Bourbon would present questions. His Fairyhouse third is encouraging but insufficient, given subsequent pull-ups and regression.
He remains a potentially interesting prospect for future Grand Nationals if he resolves his current issues, but in 2026, his recent form trajectory suggests he would need marked improvement before being considered ready for Aintree's demands. His consecutive pull-ups at distances he should stay and his requirement for equipment changes indicate ongoing questions that would need answering.
Among the Grand National runners in the field, Quai de Bourbon represents a prospect with genuine potential but currently facing questions that would need to be resolved.
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