Irish contenders at the Grand National
Irish contenders
Youlneverwalkalone (Christy Roche-trained, JP McManus-owned) is napped to become the third Irish winner of the Grand National in the past five years.
He has come into his own in recent months, he should appreciate the trip and he jumps well enough to handle the fences.
He is also the right age for the race (nine) and races off a 9lb lower mark than he has at the moment. He is also well in with Ad Hoc and Maximise on Cheltenham running.
Monty's Pass (Jimmy Mangan-trained – Co Cork) also has strong claims and he has already proved his ability to jump the fences. Rider Barry Geraghty is in inspired form and the horse sparkled in his final piece of work on Sunday.
Like-A-Butterfly disappointed in the Champion Hurdle but she looks worth another chance in the Martell Aintree Hurdle. She is suited by the distance of the race and hopefully the ground will not have gone in any way fast by this stage.
John Oliver has won his last two starts and Edward O'Grady's five-year-old can make it three in the bumper.
Card for the race (Irish runners marked):
IRISH: BEHRAJAN: Hasn't always looked entirely straightforward but his fifth in the Cheltenham Gold Cup was a solid effort. He stays all day and has plenty going for him – but his welter burden of 11-10 isn't.
IRISH: BRAMBLEHILL DUKE: In the race because of the defection of Kingsmark but his recent form isn't encouraging. He'll handle the ground though and could get the trip.
GINGEMBERE: A Cheltenham Gold Cup gamble went astray when he missed the race owing to a setback but punters have doubled up and he has been a plunge horse again here. It is easy to see why too – he'll love the ground, stays all day and has a touch of class. A leading player.
IRISH: SHOTGUN WILLY: The choice of Ruby Walsh ahead of Ad Hoc following his gutsy win at Haydock on his reappearance. He has a leading claim on the book cut conditions may not be ideal and value has long gone in him.
FADALKO: Hasn't quite developed into the crack two mile chaser he threatened to be and this looks a desperate throw of the dice from connections. It is a great misnomer to suggest you want two-and-a-half mile horses for this race. They need to see out every yard of this marathon trip – and this one won't.
IRISH: CHIVES: He was touched off under a huge weight in the Welsh National and then ran a cracker behind Best Mate in the Gold Cup. He has ticks in plenty of the right boxes – but wants cut in the ground. The dry weather is all against him.
IRIS BLEU: Tony McCoy looks to break his National duck on this one and he has a very good chance of doing so. He was a brilliant winner of the Agfa Diamond Chase at Sandown and showed he is still on the upgrade at Haydock last time. He would prefer more cut but isn't short of speed and represents top connections. A leading player.
IRISH: AD HOC: Disregarded by Ruby Walsh – but he has got this badly wrong. Trained for the race all season after being brought down four our when full of running last year, he is the one they all have to beat. His third to Youlneverwalkalone at Cheltenham was encouraging and with 10-13 on his back, he can sneak into the race on the second circuit.
IRISH: BALLINCLAY KING: Talent young chaser who looked firmly on the upgrade when beating Katarino comfortably at Cheltenham this winter. However the drying ground and marathon trip are against him and he is firmly passed over.
IRISH: CARBURY CROSS: It takes a leap of faith to give this one a chance but he has to be respected. Form figures of P00P hardly inspire confidence but he is a horse who thrives at this time of the year and he will rattle off the ground. If in the mood he is a leading player, whatever the formbook says.
IRISH: BINDAREE: So can last year's winner become the first horse wince Red Rum to make a triumphant return to Aintree? Sadly no. He has been back to the course for the Becher Chase where he was an early faller and the impression remains last year's race has left its mark.
IRISH: YOULNEVERWALKALONE: Owned by JP McManus and a huge plunge all week, he is a very interesting runner. Not entirely straightforward, he was played late to beat Haut Cercy in the William Hill Handicap Chase at Cheltenham and could be the sort to take to these fences. The prevailing fast ground is another matter though.
IRISH: THE BUNNY BOILER: Last year's Irish National winner was a major disappointment in thus season's Welsh equivalent. He has disappointed since too and this mudlark needs the heavens to open – and soon.
BLOWING WIND: Third in the last two runnings of this race and placed in the Becher Chase too, he is a specialist over these fences. However his best chance of winning a National has surely gone and while he can go well again, he does not go to the 2003 race in the same form as he was last year.
YOU'RE AGOODUN: Another member of team Pipe and one who looked set to win the major Haydock trial for this race until running out of petrol close home. Not disgraced in the Gold Cup last time, he was seventh last year and could complete the course again – albeit out of the placings.
KATARINO: Appeals as one of the most likely of the outsiders. Quirky but hugely talented, he is fresh and hails from a stable that has to be respected. He has always looked worth a try at this marathon trip and he could give supporters a good run for their money at a huge price.
RED STRIKER: Stable companion of Red Marauder, he has been campaigned over inadequate trips this season but has claims of sorts on that form. He has looked a difficult ride at times though and was found wanting when stepped up to the major league in the Hennessy.
IRISH: SOUTHERN STAR: Second to Barton in the big novice chase at this meeting last season, he has form to his name which makes him a leading player but recent efforts suggest he is on the downgrade. Hard to fancy in his current heart.
IRISH: MONTY'S PASS: More than one good judge has been hovering up fancy prices about this one of late. An Irish raider, he has been laid out for this since winning the Kerry National in the autumn and he will be sharper for his recent run over an inadequate trip. Interesting – but not for me at his current price.
MAJED: Been in awful form this season and was tailed off when falling at Becher's second time last year. It will take a Foinavon style incident for this one to land the spoils – and them something may catch him!
IRISH: AMBERLEIGH HOUSE: Trained by Red Rum's mentor Ginger McCain and one of the potential fairytale winners in the race. Has a chance too having won the 2002 Becher Chase before being placed in this year's renewal. Ginger wouldn't swap him for any of these – you have been warned.
IRISH: MAXIMIZE: Long whispered for this race, he has the assistance of last year's winning rider Jim Culloty. He will bounce off the ground too and showed distinct signs of a revival at Cheltenham last time. Short-list material.
MONTIFAULT: Seemed to blow up at Newbury last time when coming back off a long lay-off, he is fresher than most and capable of going well although he has two ways of running and is clearly not entirely straightforward.
POLAR CHAMP: His stamina has given way on his last two starts over four miles plus and it is hard to see him seeing this trip out properly. Even if he did others will have more go forward at the end of the race, particularly on ground that is faster than ideal for him.
IRISH: CREGG HOUSE: On a long losing run but has his share of ability and followed up a second in the 2002 Catchart Chase at the 2002 Cheltenham Festival with a fourth in this year's Mildmay of Flete. He stayed on well that day from a long way back but whether this four-and-a-half miles is what he is crying out for remains to be seen.
IRISH: GOOD SHUIL: Little encouragement of late and Rumpole of The Bailey would struggle to make a convincing case for this one. In his defence he did stay on well from an impossible position to be third behind Stormez at Cheltenham in November but even that form leaves him with plenty to find.
MANTLES PRINCE: Second to Moscow Flyer at Punchestown last season, he hasn't been seen out since June and has plenty of questions to answer heading into this race. The trip looks wrong, so does his preparation.
IRISH: TORDUFF EXPRESS: Won the Fox Hunters' over these fences last year and has had his campaigned geared around this race. Won well at Fontwell last time and Timmy Murphy takes over in the saddle but he fell in the 2000 renewal of the race and may again find things happening a little too quickly for him.
GOGUENARD: Failed to complete on two previous attempts over these fences and in front when unseating the rider two out in the Mildmay of Flete. So error prone, but talented, and if he produces a clear round there are worse 40/1 shots in the race.
GUNNER WELBURN: Looked to have a promising profile for the race but the ground is against him. He also didn't seem to get home in the Welsh National when travelling like a winner for a long way but proven over these fences. Hard to rule him firmly out but there is plenty against this likeable sort.
ROYAL PREDICA: Stunned most at Prestbury Park when running away with the Kim Muir but comes here at the top of his game. The jury is out though over whether he can reproduce that form on his second start after a long lay-off. – given the hard race he had last month. If on song again he is no forlorn hope.
IRISH: SUPREME GLORY: Hasn't really gone on from winning the Welsh National last year but has crept into the race and is said to be thriving in the spring sunshine. You could make a case for him – although not a particularly persuasive one given his recent efforts.
IRISH: TREMALLT: Not at the top of his game this season and hard to see how there will be a revival here. Looked a natural for the race two or three years ago but his chance appears to have gone.
IRISH: WONDER WEASEL: Trainer Kim Bailey won this with Mr Frisk and this one has a squeak on his best form but there has to be question marks over how he will handle underfoot conditions. Bit to find with Shotgun Willy too on Haydock running last month.
DJEDDAH: When Meatloaf sang “Two out of three ain't bad” he could have been referring to this one's record at Aintree. He has unseated twice in three attempts over these fences and on the one occasion he did complete he was only ninth behind Papillon. One to avoid in the office sweep.
BURLU: Only had one start in Britain when making a series of mistakes and eventually being pulled up behind stablemate Royal Predica in the Kim Muir at Cheltenham. Impossible to make any case for him whatsoever.
RED ARK: Got no further than the first last year when blundering and parting company with his rider. Did show signs of a return to form at Cheltenham last time but that was over two miles and he is far from certain to relish this marathon test.
ROBBO: Has had his critics and hard to make much of a claim for him other than the occasion 'thinker' has taken to these fences in the past.
IRISH: KILLUSTY: Fascinating runner who can be much better than his handicap mark here. Connections went close with a similar sort in Mely Moss recently and while his inexperience is a worry, he is a threat to all from the foot of the handicap.
EMPEREUR RIVER: French raider who is a capable sort but he is up against it from out of the handicap and on ground that isn't certain to suit.
