One of three Cheltenham Festival winners among the 93 entries, Stattler has been installed 9/1 favourite, by the sponsors, for the €500,000 Boylesports Irish Grand National – to be run at Fairyhouse on April 18.
Weights for the 150th renewal of the traditional Easter Monday showpiece were released yesterday, with Gordon Elliott’s Savills winner and Gold Cup fourth Galvin topping the list with 11-12.
In addition to National Hunt Chase victor Stattler, last week’s cross-country winner Delta Work and Lucinda Russell’s Ultima scorer Corach Rambler, one of just six British entries, feature in the list of possible contenders.
Elliott is responsible for 24 entries, headed by Galvin, Delta Work and Farou D’alene while among 16 Willie Mullins runners are Kemboy, Asterion Forlonge and Melon in addition to early ante-post favourite Stattler.
Last year’s shock winner Freewheelin Dylan is one of three entries from Dermot McLoughlin’s local yard, the others being Lord Lariat and Opposites Attract, while Saturday’s Midlands National winner Screaming Colours, trained by Bill Durkan, has been allocated 10-6.
And Cheltenham hero Henry de Bromhead has entered five, including Minella Times, who is expected to bid for a repeat win in the Randox Grand National at Aintree on April 9, also the likely target for Delta Work and Ted Walsh’s Any Second Now.
Boylesports’ early betting: 9/1 Stattler; 12/1 Max Flamingo, Farouk D’alene; 14/1 Gaillard Du Mesnil, School Boy Hours, Farclas, Capodanno, Corach Rambler; 16/1 Bar.
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