The Irish could enjoy another great day out at Aintree Racecourse on Saturday.
And it may be Ciaran Murphy’s ENJOY D’ALLEN leading home another procession of Irish-trained horses in the Randox Grand National. Horses from the Emerald Isle have won four of the last five runnings of the world’s greatest steeplechase and Henry De Bromhead’s Minella Times – under history-maker Rachael Blackmore – led home the first five finishers who were all trained in Ireland last year.
It could easily be a repeat this year with almost all the leading fancies being sent across the Irish Sea to Merseyside in search of a 28th victory for Ireland in the 174th running of the Aintree showpiece.
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And it’s Enjoy D’allen who makes the most persuasive argument in being the first past the past around 5.25pm on Saturday afternoon. Trainer Ciaran Murphy is only in his second year with a full licence at his stable in Mullingar, County Westmeath. But like, similar smaller Irish stables of Jimmy Mangan (Monty’s Pass 2003), Martin Brassill (Numbersixvalverde, 2006) and Gordon Elliott (Silver Birch, 2007) he can triumph with his first-ever runner in the Aintree showpiece.
Enjoy D’allen – who will run in the famous green and gold colours of new owner JP McManus for the first time at Aintree – looks to have all the right attributes to triumph. A solid jumper and sound stayer, the eight-year-old has the profile of a young progressive chaser who have been doing well in the Aintree marathon in recent years.
He appears to have a similar profile to last year’s winner Minella Times, who gave McManus a second victory in the race. Enjoy D’allen was an excellent third to Grand National rival Freewheelin Dylan in last April’s Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse. He was also third in the same Paddy Power Chase at Leopardstown over Christmas in which Minella Times had been runner-up 12 months earlier.
He was a decent fifth in a handicap hurdle back at Leopardstown in February and that run looks an ideal prep for his date with destiny at Aintree. Enjoy D’allen looks set to continue Ireland’s domination and win the Grand National.
There are plenty of his rivals who could go well and Minella Times bids to become only the ninth dual winner in Grand National history. While trainer De Bromhead and jockey Blackmore have been creating history in the biggest races on the National Hunt calendar for the past 13 months, retaining their National crown with Minella Times may be beyond them.
The nine-year-old is up 15lb in the handicap and has been out of form. Aintree could spark him into a return to form, but a place might be the best they can hope for this time.
Those in behind Minella Times last year make more appeal to fill the places this time. Ted Walsh’s Any Second Now – fresh from his win in the Bobbyjo Chase – was third last year and should run another big race. But it is Willie Mullins’ Burrows Saint who could go closest to victory.
He was fourth last year after looking like a potential winner when travelling well. His stamina seemed to give out late on. But a year older, he could get even closer now.
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Again Irish raiders look the most likely to be involved in the finish of the race and Martin Brassill’s Longhouse Poet – despite his relative inexperience – is an interesting runner. He won the Thyestes Chase at Gowran Park in January – and some horses who have run well in that have gone on to perform with credit at Aintree.
He has only run in seven chases and that may count against him in the hustle and bustle of the National. But his trainer won the race with Numbersixvalverde and also saw Double Seven finish third in 2014. So he knows what it takes and Longhouse Poet may be another to go well.
Other Irish raiders who should be to the fore are the Paul Nolan-trained Discorama – who may improve on his seventh-placed finish last year, the Elliott-trained duo Escaria Ten and Mount Ida and Irish National hero Freewheelin Dylan . But the best British hope – Charlie Longsdon’s Becher Chase heroine Snow Leopardess – could be the one to break up the Irish monopoly.
The grey – who gave birth to a foal in 2020 before returning to the track in style – took to Aintree superbly in December and looks to have all the right attributes to get placed at least. Nigel Twiston-Davies Rowland Meyrick Chase winner Good Boy Bobby is another Brit who may go well. But it is Irish, with Enjoy D’allen, who can win again.
2022 RANDOX GRAND NATIONAL PREDICTION
1. ENJOY D'ALLEN (NAP) - 14/1
2. Burrows Saint - 25/1
3. Longhouse Poet - 16/1
4. Snow Leopardess - 10/1
5. Discorama - 33/1
Best of the rest: Good Boy Bobby - 25/1
