Panda Boy has been my BoyleSports Irish Grand National fancy since last May.
And, despite a last-time-out fall, at Leopardstown early last month, I’m sticking with Martin Brassil’s grey ahead of today’s €500,000 Fairyhouse showpiece, in which he’ll be ridden by Ricky Doyle, successful on Freewheelin Dylan in 2021 and the only jockey in today’s race who has already won the ‘National’.
From a yard which won the race with Numbersixvalverde back in 2005. Panda Boy impressed when winning his ‘beginners’ at Punchestown last May and, after a summer break, finished in the frame in a coupe of graded novice events, fourth to El Barra in Cork (Grade 3) and to Darrens Hope in Punchestown (Grade 2).
READ MORE: Irish Grand National 2023 full race card and tips - list of runners and odds on Easter Monday
The seven-year-old produced a creditable effort on his handicap chase debut, beaten less than a length, in third place, behind Real Steel in the ‘Paddy Power’ at Leopardstown over Christmas.
He has been seen only once since then, when falling at the fifth in the handicap won by Lieutenant Command at Leopardstown last month.
Winner of Pertemps qualifier over hurdles, unexposed over fences and primed for today, Panda Boy has rock-solid each-way claims in a typically competitive renewal of this traditional Easter Monday feature.
The Venetia Williams-trained Royal Pagaille, winner of the ‘Peter Marsh’ twice, runner-up in a ‘King George’ and not disgraced in two Golds Cups, tops the weights, adding a touch of class to proceedings and must be respected.
Gordon Elliott, who won with General Principle in 2018, will be responsible for eight of the thirty runners, among them novices The Goffer and Chemical Energy, runner-up to Gaillard Du Mesnil in Cheltenham’s National Hunt Chase and, arguably, pick of the bunch.
Like Elliott, Willie Mullins has won the race once, with Burrows Saint (2019). And his bid will be spear-headed by Paul Townend’s talented but quirky mount, I Am Maximus, bought by JP McManus since finishing fourth to The Real Whacker in the ‘Brown Advisory’ at Cheltenham.
Ante-post favourite Thedevilscoachman, another classy novice, is another of the five-strong McManus challenge for a race the owner last won with Shutthefrontdoor back in 2014.
Awarded a Grade 3 ‘novice’ in the Stewards Room in Naas back in late January, Noel Meade’s charge, the mount of Mark Walsh, triumphed at the same level in Limerick last time and is another for all short-lists.
Having enjoyed a tremendous season, Barry Connell and Michael O’Sullivan rely on Espanito Bello, up 11lb. for his smooth success in the Leinster National in Naas last month.
Progressive mare Angels Dawn, trained by Sam Curling, has been the long-term choice of many and comes into the race on the back of her ‘Kim Muir’ success in Cheltenham, for which she went up 7lb.
At the bottom of the handicap, Gavin Cromwell’s Stumptown, narrowly beaten by Angels Dawn in Cheltenham and a dour stayer, is another with definite claims while the Joseph O’Brien-trained Kerry National winner Busselton is tough, stays well and will be helped by Shane Fitzgerald’s 3lb. claim.
Meanwhile, the progressive Cadatharla, trained for J P McManus by Colm Murphy, is a hopeful nap choice in the Fairyhouse Steel Handicap Hurdle.
Having attained a workable initial mark of 109, this strapping Flemensfirth gelding bolted-up on his handicap debut at Naas in January and, raised 13lb. ran a cracker at this venue in late February, when going down by a neck to another promising novice, L’yser.
Cadatharla has been raised another 5lb. for that effort. But he’s a work-in-progress, open to plenty of improvement and this looks a good opportunity for him, upped in trip, with Aidan Kelly again claiming 7lb.
Today’s Fairyhouse card features three Grade 2 events as support to the ‘National’.
And punters who looked on in disbelief as Blood Destiny pulled too hard and flopped in the ‘Triumph’ at Cheltenham, will hope to recoup losses in the Donohue Marquees Juvenile Hurdle – the Willie Mullins-trained gelding had been very impressive in his previous outings, in Cork and on this track.
Long absent, multiple Grade 1 winner Monkfish will be the focus of attention in the Rathbarry & Glenview Studs Hurdle but might have to give best to stable-companion and Paul Townend’s choice Asterion Forlonge, beaten by Summerville Boy on his belated seasonal bow and return to hurdling in Thurles, and top-weight Fil Dor.
And the Mouse Morris-trained French Dynamite, who ran such a blinder to finish fourth to Envoi Allen in the ‘Ryanair’ last time, might prove too strong for the Mullins and de Bromhead challengers in the McInerney Properties Fairyhouse Chase.
Mullins runs both Ile Atlantique (Patrick) and Ballyburn (Pat Taaffe) in the bumper. But the Closutton pair might not cope with the exciting, Gordon Elliott-trained Firefox, impressive at Navan in January.
Peter O'Hehir's tips for Fairyhouse:
2.05.Metamorpheus
2.40.Blood Destiny
3.15.Cadatharla (Nap)
3.50.Asterion Forlonge
4.20.French Dynamite
5.00.Panda Boy
5.40.Macs Charm
6.10.Firefox
Next Best
2.05.Realism
2.40.Gust Of Wind
3.15.Zoffany Bay
3.50.Fil Dor
4.20.Janidil
5.00.Chemical Energy
5.40.Sir Bob
6.10.Ile Atlantique
Double : Blood Destinuy and Cadatharla.
O’Hehir’s Longshot : Busselton (5.00.).
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