Our form expert has three selections for Easter Monday's ITV action and he's taking two against the field in the Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse.
The Verdict: Monday April 21
1pt win Supreme King in 4.05 Kempton at 15/2 (Paddy Power)
1pt win Kinturk Kalanisi in 5.00 Fairyhouse at 10/1 (General)
1pt win Noble Birth in 5.00 Fairyhouse at 25/1 (General)
Taking two novices in the Irish National
Unexposed novices dominate the top of the market for the Boylesports Irish Grand National Chase at Fairyhouse (5.00) on Easter Monday with Rebecca Curtis’ raider Haiti Couleurs one of the well-fancied horses.
The winner of the National Hunt Chase at the Cheltenham Festival last month, he looks a big player here with his stamina assured, but there was quite a bit of carnage in behind him late on and he might’ve been flattered by his dominance to a degree.
Now Is The Hour fell two from home in the same race and he’s disputing favouritism with Haiti Couleurs here, Gavin Cromwell’s horse seemingly unleashed for handicaps after he had the four qualifying runs over fences.
Either could win, but they’ve both been well found and there are other lightly-raced novices that demand respect at bigger prices.
First up KINTURK KALANISI for last year’s winning trainer, Thomas Gibney.
This horse was second to Three Card Brag in a beginners’ chase at Navan in January when he finished ahead of Scottish National winner Captain Cody and the aforementioned Now Is The Hour, the seven-year-old catching the eye with the way he travelled.
That marked him out as a novice to watch out for in handicaps and he duly went off 5/1 for the Leinster National at Naas in early March, where he was going the best when brushing through the top and unseating his jockey two from home.
I think he would’ve probably won and he gets in this off the same mark, while the excellent Darragh O’Keeffe takes over from a 7lb claimer in the saddle.
His stamina is an unknown, but he shapes like he wants a trip and he had good big field form from his handicap hurdle days at Punchestown, so he is expected to take to the test well.
A neck second at Fairyhouse in December, he’s got the course form, too, and looks a potentially well-treated novice that’s worth chancing.
Ditto the same sentiments about NOBLE BIRTH at 25/1.
The Cromwell third string according to the betting, he’s a bit of an unknown quantity over fences but there was lots to like about the way he jumped when making all at this track in January.
That was the same novice chase last year’s Irish National winner Intense Raffles won on his way to big-race glory and the way he’s kept on over three miles in the past suggests this sort of trip is what he wants.
He goes well fresh, so you’ve got to like the 100-day absence against a load of rivals that took in the big spring festivals and from the very foot of the weights he looks a big price.
The Verdict: Back KINTURK KALANISI and NOBLE BIRTH in the 5.00 Fairyhouse
King to reign for Evans
Over at Kempton there’s good all-weather action on ITV as well and David Evans and Rossa Ryan can team up again with SUPREME KING in the Virgin Bet Daily Extra Places Handicap over seven furlongs.
This horse was well handicapped at the start of the year but I also think he’s improved under Ryan, firstly when winning nicely over six furlongs at this track on March 5 and then when he was second over the same trip at Wolverhampton last time.
That last run can be marked up quite significantly as he was the only one who got involved with the prominent racers having come from the rear and the way he finished his race makes you think this step back up to seven is a good move.
His body of work at Kempton is good as a whole and I like the potential set up here with pace drawn to his inside, so he’s worth backing at around 7/1.
The Verdict: Back SUPREME KING in the 4.05 Kempton
Preview posted at 1447 BST on 20/04/25
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