BoyleSports Irish Grand National horse-by-horse preview and tips

1. Better Days Ahead (Gordon Elliott/Rob James)

A top-class staying novice chaser, he won the Grade 2 Ten Up Chase at Navan in February and he finished third in the Brown Advisory Chase at Cheltenham. The rain is a positive for him, and he could improve again for the step up to this marathon trip. It is not ideal that he has found himself at the top of the handicap, but he has raced over fences just four times, he still has the potential to go beyond his rating of 154, and his rider is excellent value for his 7lb claim.

2. Quai De Bourbon (Willie Mullins/Paul Townend)

Another high-class novice, he unseated at the fourth last fence when still travelling well in the Brown Advisory Chase at Cheltenham, and he was unlucky to be brought down before the race had really started to develop in the Mildmay Chase at Aintree last time. A talented hurdler last season and still only six, he retains lots of potential to progress as a chaser. He has to prove his stamina for the trip, but he shapes like a stayer and he is the choice of Paul Townend.

3. Johnnywho (Jonjo & AJ O’Neill/Derek O’Connor)

Fourth in the Challow Hurdle last season and eighth in the Albert Bartlett Hurdle, he has been progressive this season as a staying novice chaser, and he put up a career-best performance in the Kim Muir last time at the Cheltenham Festival, when he went down by just a neck to Daily Present, the pair of them clear. He is 6lb higher now, but he could be progressive enough to take that type of hike in his stride.

4. Bioluminescence (Gavin Cromwell/Keith Donoghue)

She won a Grade 2 mares’ chase at Limerick’s Christmas Festival in December on her chasing bow, and she has run two good races in the meantime in graded contests at Naas and Fairyhouse. Winner of her only point-to-point, she stays well, and the ground has come in her favour.

5. Harry Des Ongrais (Henry de Bromhead/Rachael Blackmore)

He was impressive in winning his beginners’ chase at Gowran Park on Red Mills day in February. Winner of his maiden hurdle on heavy ground, it appeared as if he relished the soft ground at Gowran, it looks like the ground has come in his favour, and he could improve again for the step up to this marathon trip.

6. Duffle Coat (Gordon Elliott/Alex Harvey)

He already has a National in the bag, having won the Mayo National at Ballinrobe last May. Second in the Galway Plate last summer, he was running a big race in the National Hunt Chase at Cheltenham last month when he was brought down at the second last fence, but he probably could have done without the rain.

7. Favori De Champdou (Gordon Elliott/Danny Gilligan)

Winner of the Grade 2 Florida Pearl Chase as a novice early last season, he finished third in the Punchestown Grand National Trial and he finished third in the Thyestes Chase, and he stepped up on that at Down Royal last time, when he ran out an impressive winner of a three-runner three-and-a-quarter-mile chase. He fell at the second last fence in last year’s Irish National when in ninth place, but he goes into the race this year in better form, and the fitting of blinkers for the first time, replacing cheekpieces, could bring about further improvement.

8. Search For Glory (Gordon Elliott/Sam Ewing)

He ran well for a long way in the Ultima Chase at Cheltenham last time and, a dual Grade 3 winner over three miles on heavy ground as a novice hurdler, he could improve for the step up in trip here and for the move to more testing conditions.

9. Sequestered (Paul Gilligan/Jack Gilligan)

He was seriously impressive in winning a three-mile handicap chase at Leopardstown over Christmas, and he backed that up with a fine run to finish second in the Leopardstown Chase at the Dublin Racing Festival. He will have to bounce back from a moderate run at Cheltenham last time though, and he has to prove his ability to stay this extreme trip.

10. Desertmore House (Martin Brassil/JJ Slevin)

He proved his ability to operate in a big-field handicap chases when he won the Kerry National in the early part of last season. He hasn’t won since though and the handicapper hasn’t relented much. Trainer and jockey both have previous in the race, as do the part-owner’s colours.

11. Malina Girl (Gavin Cromwell/Sean Flanagan)

She is a hugely admirable mare who did well to finish third in the Ultima Handicap Chase at Cheltenham last time after stumbling a little on landing over the second fence. She will have no issue with the ground and she stays well, she won a handicap chase at Cheltenham last season over almost three and a half miles, but she may be in the grip of the handicapper.

12. Panda Boy (Martin Brassil/Ricky Doyle)

He has run big races in defeat in some top handicap chases, including in the Irish Grand National in 2023 when he finished fifth behind I Am Maximus, and he has been placed in the Paddy Power Chase twice. He could be in the grip of the handicapper now, but he ran a nice race last time to finish third in the Leinster National, and that should bring him forward for this, for a trainer and a rider who know how to win the Irish National.

13. Yeah Man (Gavin Cromwell/Kieren Buckley)

Winner of the Grand National Trial at Haydock last season, he finished third in the Troytown Chase on his debut this season, and he was travelling well in the Haydock Grand National Trial again two months ago when he unseated. Below form in the Kim Muir last time, he will handle conditions and he stays well and, while he is another who could be in the handicapper’s grip, the change of headgear from cheekpieces to blinkers could elicit some improvement.

14. Haiti Couleurs (Rebecca Curtis/Sean Bowen)

He is a massive player. He has won three of his four chases this season, including the National Hunt Chase at Cheltenham last time, a handicap this year but a good pointer to the Irish Grand National in the past. He appeared to win with more in hand than the bare winning margin at Cheltenham, and he gets to race off a handicap rating of 141 here, just 6lb higher than the British mark off which he won at Cheltenham. He stays well and he handled soft ground well as a novice hurdler last year, and his trainer and jockey are both having tremendous seasons.

15. Now Is The Hour (Gavin Cromwell/Conor Stone-Walsh)

He wasn’t a beaten docket in the National Hunt Chase at Cheltenham, he was still there with a chance, when he came down at the second last fence, and he gets to meet the winner on 4lb better terms, 7lb better if you include his talented rider’s 3lb claim. He hasn’t won yet over fences, but he has a touch of class, he is a Grade 2 winner over hurdles. He has risen by 16lb in the handicap since January without winning, but he could still be a well-handicapped horse, and he will love the ground.

16. Shecouldbeanything (Gordon Elliott/Jordan Gainford)

She was seriously progressive over fences in the autumn, winning four on the bounce. Third in the Mares’ Chase at Cheltenham in March on her first run back after a short break, she could come forward again for that run, but she has to prove her stamina for this marathon trip on the ground.

17. Sa Majeste (Willie Mullins/Simon Torrens)

He has been progressive this season, his first season over fences, and he led from early in the Kim Muir at Cheltenham last time, keeping on after he was passed to finish third. He can jump a little to his right, so the switch back to a right-handed track is probably a positive, and he won his only race at Fairyhouse, albeit a little fortuitously. A seven-year-old who has raced just five times over fences, he has the potential to progress again as a staying chaser.

18. Any Second Now (Ted Walsh/Mark Walsh)

A remarkable racehorse, he is 13 years old now but he still retains all his enthusiasm. Second in this race last year, second in the Aintree Grand National in 2022, third in the Aintree Grand National in 2021 after being badly hampered earlier in the race, you know that his trainer will have him primed for this again. The rain is a positive, and the fact that Mark Walsh has chosen to ride him is obviously significant.

19. Lord Lariat (Dermot McLoughlin/Paddy O’Hanlon)

He sprang a 40/1 shock in the race in 2022 under Paddy O’Hanlon, racing off a mark of 137, and he is back down to a mark of 138 now. He missed all of last season, but he returned to the track in February, when he ran a fine race to finish fourth in a handicap hurdle at Fairyhouse. This has obviously been the plan for a while, and his local trainer has won the race twice.

20. Stuzzikini (Gordon Elliott/Gavin Brouder)

He put up the performance of his life when he won the Troytown Chase at Navan in November. He is 7lb higher in the handicap now but, while he hasn’t got close to that level of performance in two runs since, a repeat of his Troytown Chase run would bring him into it.

21. Tullybeg (Gordon Elliott/Tom Harney)

Non-runner

22. Daily Present (Paul Nolan/Aidan Kelly)

He was very good in the Kim Muir, staying on strongly to get the better of Johnnywho, the pair of them clear of their rivals. His Irish handicap rating now is 7lb higher than the British rating off which he won that day, but that was just his ninth chase, and there is every chance that he will be able to cope with the higher mark. He was pulled up in the race last year, but he goes into it in better form this year, and he won his maiden hurdle at Fairyhouse.

23. Mint Boy (Gavin Cromwell/Kevin Sexton)

He hasn’t managed to win yet over fences, but he was a talented and progressive staying novice hurdler last season. He was high in the market for the Kim Muir last time, in which he was travelling well in rear when he unseated his rider before the race started to develop, and he is wholly unexposed as a staying chaser.

24. Dunboyne (Ian Donoghue/Donagh Meyler)

Mercurially talented, he sprang a 66/1 shock in a handicap hurdle at Navan early last month on his first run for Ian Donoghue, and he won the Ulster National at Downpatrick three weeks ago on his second. An 8lb hike for that win takes him up to a mark of 135, but that is still 3lb lower than his peak, and he could be a big player in the race if he puts his mind to it.

25. Final Orders (Gavin Cromwell/Patrick O’Brien)

Adaptable in terms of distance, he proved his stamina for marathon trips when he ran Dunboyne to a half a length in the Ulster National last time, the pair of them clear of their rivals. An admirable performer, the slight step up in trip and the move to softer ground will test his stamina reserves further, but he goes into the race in good form, and he gets to race off his Ulster National mark of 135.

26. Kinturk Kalanisi (Tom Gibney/Darragh O’Keeffe)

An unexposed and progressive young chaser, he was travelling really well last time in the Leinster National when he unseated his rider at the second last fence. He remains on the same mark of 135, and he has the potential to go a fair way beyond that mark. The rain is a positive for him, and it wouldn't be surprising if this race has been marked down as his primary target for some time by his trainer, who won the race last year with Intense Raffles and in 2012 with Lion Na Bearnai.

27. Bushmans Pass (Oliver McKiernan/Philip Enright)

He stayed on gamely to win the Leinster National last time in his first-time cheekpieces, when he had Panda Boy and Any Second Now behind him. A 6lb hike means that he will probably have to improve again if he is to win an Irish National, but he goes well on soft ground, he goes into the race in good form, and he is one for one at Fairyhouse.

28. Moonovercloon (Matthew Smith/Ben Harvey)

Just beaten in the Galway Blazers at the Galway Festival in August, he hasn’t run since he finished fifth in a handicap hurdle at Punchestown last October. He goes well fresh though, his record after a break of 100 days or more reads 413, but he has to prove his stamina for this trip, and his best form is on better ground.

29. Hasthing (Jonjo & AJ O’Neill/Brian Hayes)

Non-runner

30. Noble Birth (Gavin Cromwell/Daniel King)

A 125-rated hurdler, he put up the best performance of his career last time when he made just about all the running to win a rated novices’ chase at Fairyhouse in January over two miles and six furlongs. That was just his fourth run over fences, and it promised more. A winner over three miles and one and a half furlongs over hurdles, there is every chance that he will get this marathon trip alright and, having just his fifth run over fences, he has the potential to continue his progression. He is one for one at Fairyhouse.

31. Another Choice (Matthew Smith/Sean O’Keeffe)

Winner of his beginners’ chase at Downpatrick last April, he put up a fine performance last time to finish second behind History Of Fashion in the Porterstown Chase at Fairyhouse in December, over the Irish Grand National course and distance. He proved his stamina for this trip that day, but he is probably going to have to improve again on that if he is going to be involved.

32. Will Do (Gordon Elliott/Harry Sexton)

He hasn’t won yet over fences, but he finished second in the Punchestown Grand National Trial in February, and he kept on well to finish third last time behind Haiti Couleurs in the National Hunt Chase. He stays well and he goes well on the ground.

Verdict:

1. Kinturk Kalanisi

2. Haiti Couleurs

3. Better Days Ahead

4. Bioluminescence

5. Harry Des Ongrais

Published at 1046 BST and updated to reflect reserve information at 1453 BST on 20/04/2025

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