The maximum field of 30 runners are due to line up this afternoon at Fairyhouse for the 2023 edition of the Irish Grand National.
Like any good national, the field is wide open; Amirite is the current favourite at 7.50 with William Hill followed by Stumptown at 8.00 as the only two whose odds are in single figures.
※ Current Odds Date & Time: April 10th, 10:30 AM. (BST)
Stumptown was second in the Kim Muir at Cheltenham last time out after wins at Thurles and Sandown. Luke Dempsey is back on board today, last riding the 6-year-old before that good run of form, finishing seventh at Punchestown on New Year’s Eve, but the heavy ground was probably the reason for that poor showing.
Beating Stumptown by a neck in the Kim Muir was Angels Dawn (15.00), taking a second victory in 2023.
Rachael Blackmore rides Amirite for Henry de Bromhead as she has done for each of the 7-year-old’s last six outings, two of which ended in victories, including at this course in October.
Five runners priced between 12.00 and 13.00 make up the seven most fancied chances for the traditional Easter Monday event.
Royale Pagaille (12.00) carrying top weight is not expected to dampen his chances; the 9-year-old and Charlie Deutsch finished sixth in the Cheltenham Gold Cup last month when going off at 51.00.
A first fall of his career will hopefully not have shaken Panda Boy (13.00) up too much in a handicap at Leopardstown last month. Ricky Doyle takes the ride back from JJ Slevin but the pair have not combined for a win since Panda Boy’s debut in a hurdle at Punchestown two years ago.
Thedevilscoachman (12.00) and I Am Maximus (13.00) are the two best hopes of JP McManus’ five runners. Thedevilscoachman for Noel Meade has four wins in his last five, punctured by a fall at Fairyhouse in December, with the last two victories at Grade 3 level. Mark Walsh is back on board.
I Am Maximus will be hoping to give Paul Townend a first win in this race. Last time out he was fourth under Danny Mullins’ stewardship in the Brown Advisory Novices Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.
Now Where Or When’s price has been shortening this morning into 13.00, with third place in the Bobbyjo Chase here in February catching the eye. A year ago he was second in a novice chase behind Gevrey (19.00) who took fourth of 23 runners in the Magners Plate at Cheltenham.
Champagne Platinum is at 21.00, with The Goffer and Tenzing at 23.00. The best chance of Gigginstown’s five entrants is Defi Bleu at 26.00.
