Drying ground set to scupper Notre’s National bid

JIM Dreaper has all but ruled top-weight Notre Pere out of Monday’s Powers Whiskey Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse.

Winner of the Welsh National at Chepstow earlier in the season, he arguably produced a career-best in the Irish Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup when beaten only five lengths by Neptune Collonges.

Dreaper had to skip Cheltenham with the eight-year-old as he was not quite 100% and fast ground looks like forcing him to miss the Easter weekend showpiece.