Ireland’s stranglehold on the Grand National reaches record heights

Ireland has four straight wins at Aintree, and with a record 27 of the 40-strong field in Saturday’s race, that run should continue

MOMENTUM-BUILDER: Inthepocket and Rachael Blackmore win for owner JP McManus and trainer Henry de Bromhead with groom Sam Cottrell. Pic: Healy Racing.

The Irish Grand National was run at Fairyhouse on Monday. The Mostly Irish Grand National, meanwhile, is at Aintree on Saturday, when 27 of the 40 runners facing the starter at 5.15pm will be attempting to extend Ireland’s current stranglehold on Britain’s most famous and popular race.

One For Arthur, in 2017, was the last British-trained winner at Aintree, and Ireland’s current run of four straight victories – already a modern-day record – is long odds-on to continue, despite One For Arthur’s trainer, Lucinda Russell, fielding a likely favourite in Corach Rambler.