Paul Fahey hoping for dry spell for Lots Of Memories at Fairyhouse

Paul Fahey is hoping the ground dries up at Fairyhouse over the weekend as he prepares to saddle Lots Of Memories in the BoyleSports Irish Grand National on Monday.

The eight-year-old has held his own in top novice company this season and finished third behind Don Poli in the Topaz Novice Chase at Leopardstown over Christmas.

The Nurney handler believes his charge has a nice weight in the €275,000 contest and is looking forward to having a crack at the big prize.

The ground is currently soft to heavy at Fairyhouse but the forecast is good for the weekend and Fahey would like to see conditions continue to improve.

“He’s great. He’s been very well since his last run,” said Fahey. “He’ll have a nice weight and I don’t think the trip will be a problem.

“Ideally, I don’t want the word heavy in the ground. Good to yielding would be his ideal ground over that trip. Deep winter ground just catches him out.

“It’s to pick up after today and a couple of dry days make a big difference at this time of year. They don’t race on that track at Fairyhouse much and I’m hoping for a good covering of grass.

“He won around there last year and also ran well in a bumper there, so has good form at the track.

“He’s going to be in around 10st 10lb or 10st 11lb after the weights go up. Paul Townend has first choice on him, but it depends whether he is going to be claimed for one of Willie’s (Mullins).

“If he can’t ride I’ll use Paddy Kennedy and take off the 3lb.”

Meanwhile Tony McCoy feels if he had not been champion jockey throughout his career as a professional he could have wound down his time in the saddle gradually, rather than having to quit at the top. Since landing the conditional jockeys’ title in 1994-95 when mentored by Toby Balding, McCoy has been champion jockey ever since.

However, such dominance comes with pressure and rather than easing off the gas a little, McCoy is going out as the best in the business.

He said: “In some ways there’s been times recently when I wished I hadn’t been champion jockey because I do think I could have kept on riding a little bit longer.

“I do think I could’ve got away with riding four or five days a week but the reality is if you want to be champion jockey it’s a full-time occupation, it’s every day, and that’s always been my way of life. It’s something I could never change.”

The Easter weekend sees McCoy in possibly his last visit to Ireland as a jockey at the Fairyhouse Grand National meeting and while he is unsure of his mount just yet, he is anticipating a good send off.

“I’m looking forward to it. Fairyhouse is a great track. I’ve been lucky enough to have good success there in the past and lucky enough to win the Irish National on Butler’s Cabin,” he said.

“Obviously the National is one of the highlights on the Irish jumping calendar. It’d be nice to win it. I’m not actually sure what I’m going to be riding in the race. JP McManus has got few in it – If In Doubt, Call It What You Will, Cantlow – so I really don’t know what I’ll be riding.”

• Peter Bowen will wait until Monday’s confirmation stage before firming up a replacement for Jamie Moore on Al Co in the Crabbie’s Grand National.

Al Co won the Scottish National under Moore last season and has been trained specifically with Aintree in mind all season, shaping particularly well in a couple of hurdle races on his last two starts.