Martin dreaming of National glory

Tony Martin hopes there will be “enough juice” in the ground at Fairyhouse for Dun Doire to do himself justice in the Powers Whiskey Irish Grand National.

Having failed to sneak in at the foot of the handicap in the English equivalent earlier in the month, the seven-year-old, who has won seven races in eight outings, has a fine chance of gaining fulsome compensation in the three-mile-five-furlong contest on Monday.

Martin’s charge was last seen landing the William Hill Trophy Handicap at the Cheltenham Festival under Ruby Walsh, who will instead ride Willie Mullins’ Our Ben, who carries top weight in the Irish National.

The official going at Fairyhouse is currently yielding to soft, yielding in places and Martin, who has replaced Walsh with Mick Fitzgerald, is keeping his fingers crossed the ground does not dry out too much ahead of Dun Doire’s tilt at National glory.

“He’s in great form and things are looking good, but he wouldn’t want it too fast,” said the County Meath handler, whose gelding is currently 4-1 favourite with Paddy Power.

“As long as it’s on the easy side we are alright and, at the moment, it’s looking like there’ll be enough juice in the ground to suit us.

“We’ve done well to get Mick (Fitzgerald) on board and he will find my horse has no problem with the trip.”

In contrast to Martin, Christy Roche wants a dry night ahead of Far From Trouble’s crack at the Irish National, won last year by Aintree hero Numbersixvalverde.

Roche’s seven-year-old put up an eyecatching performance in the National Hunt Chase over four miles, one furlong at Cheltenham when he finished a staying-on third to Hot Weld.

The lightly-raced gelding, who is also entered in the betfair.com Novice Handicap Chase at the Punchestown Festival and the Betfred Gold Cup at Sandown, is a general 8-1 chance in the 30-runner handicap and will be partnered by Tony McCoy.

“He’s in good nick and came home from Cheltenham well,” revealed County Kildare-based Roche.

“If the ground is on the good side we’ve got a big chance but if we got any rain that would play against him.

“It’s drying well at the moment but it would take very little to put it back to soft or sticky ground.

“He ran a great race at Cheltenham but just didn’t get there.

“We’ve thought about the other two races (at Punchestown and Sandown) and as he’s had a light season, he’s a possibility for both of them.”

Francis Flood expects G V A Ireland to be testing the principals if he can replicate his run at Uttoxeter last month, when he ploughed through the mud to win the Midlands Grand National.

Barry Geraghty takes over from Walsh on the eight-year-old, who will carry 11st following his four-lengths success from Ossmoses in the extended four-mile-one-furlong event.

“He had a hard enough race there (at Uttoxeter) but everything seems to have gone fine since,” said Flood.

“He’s come out of the race pretty good – I was happy with that because he showed he can stay for fun.

“I think he has to go close by that run. Barry hasn’t ridden him yet but it shouldn’t make much difference.

“He would have liked the ground a bit better at Uttoxeter so the ground should be fine for him.”

Frances Crowley hopes Monterey Bay can make full use of his featherweight under Timmy Murphy.

The 10-year-old, third behind Prince Of Tara in a decent handicap at Navan on his last outing in November, is at the bottom of the handicap with just 10st along with Charlie Swan’s One More Minute.

“He’s in great form and we are delighted to have got in because we didn’t think we would,” said Ms Crowley.

“There was nothing really suitable for him to run in beforehand so we decided to go straight for the National and take a chance getting in – thankfully it’s worked out nicely.

“The extra few furlongs will suit him great and I think he’s got a little chance.”

Philip Rothwell reported Kim Muir sixth Black Apalachi to be in top trim ahead of the Fairyhouse feature.

Although the seven-year-old was always playing catch-up after being badly hampered at the first fence at Cheltenham, Rothwell’s gelding showed good pace on the run-in to finish 14 and a half lengths in arrears of You’re Special.

Black Apalachi, who will be ridden by Conor O’Dwyer, must shoulder 10st 8lb in the Irish National and should relish the extra trip, according to his trainer.

“Things have been super after Cheltenham, thank gosh,” said Rothwell, whose charge is as low as 14-1 with Paddy Power.

“He’s in super form and the extra five furlongs will help him – we are looking forward to it.

“He had a lovely position at Cheltenham before the starter called them back.

“He then got left at the start and got very badly hampered after jumping the first fence.

“We had no luck in running whatsoever but when you consider that he still wasn’t beaten all that far, I’d be hoping that he’d run very well.”