Take a chance on Gaillard Du Mesnil to overcome his inexperience and his 29 rivals in today’s €500,000 BoyleSports Irish Grand National in Fairyhouse.
Champion trainer Willie Mullins has won Ireland’s most valuable National Hunt prize only once – with Burrows Saint in 2019.
And, with a rating of 154 and contesting his first handicap, Gaillard Du Mesnil faces a tough task today.
But he’s a class act, a dual Grade 1 winner as a novice hurdler last season. Although he has raced only four times over fences, the six-year-old has rock-solid claims, if Paul Townend can get him settled and in a good jumping rhythm.
A beaten long odds-on favourite on his chasing bow, he then finished a distant third behind Bob Olinger in a Grade 3 at Punchestown before shaping with plenty of promise with a creditable third to star stable-companion Galopin Des Champs in a Leopardstown Grade 1 in February.
Last time he ran a solid race in third behind L’Homme Presse and Aintree scorer Ahoy Senor in the Brown Advisory at Cheltenham.
Gaillard Du Mesnil will need plenty of luck in running. But he should figure prominently.
Leading owners J P McManus and Gigginstown House Stud will each have eight runners in today’s field.
Enjoy D’allen, third in this race last year and in the Paddy Power at Leopardstown, was bought by McManus to boost his bid for Aintree glory but exited at the first.
Ciaran Murphy’s charge, the Noel Meade-trained School Boy Hours, winner of the Paddy Power before being unlucky and pulled up at both Cheltenham and Aintree. Joseph O’Brien’s Galway Plate victor Early Doors and lone British raider, the Jonjo O’Neill-trained, Midlands National third Time To Get Up, all have solid claims for McManus, who first won this race with Bit Of A Skite in 1983.
Of the Gigginstown bunch, Run Wild Fred, runner-up here last year, winner of the Troytown and second in both Grade 1 novice company and Cheltenham’s National Hunt Chase, has obvious claims, along with Noel Meade’s Leinster National winner Diol Ker.
Run Wild Fred is one of 11 runners for Gordon Elliott, whose Farclas, off the track since chasing home Run Wild Fred in the Troytown in November must be respected while his Fakir D’alene should give amateur Harry Swan a good spin.
This has been the target for Francis Casey’s course winner Max Flamingo since last year and, prepped with a smooth win in Thurles, the Denis O’Regan-ridden seven-year-old is one for any short-list.
With Conor Orr sticking with Enjoy D’allen, Jamie Codd comes in for the spin on Bill Durkan’s Midlands National scorer Screaming Colours.
The formidable partnership of Henry de Bromhead and Rachael Blackmore, seeking a first win in the race, rely on course winner Full Time Score, with solid claims off just 10-6, while Ronald Pump, second to Diol Ker in Naas, might be capable of finishing in the shake-up for Matt Smith.
Meanwhile, having competed at the top level all season, the Willie Mullins-trained Janidil sets a high standard, despite conceding weight to his five rivals, in today’s Fairyhouse Grade 2 Devenish Chase.
Winner of the Grade 1 novice at this meeting last year, Janidil has finished second twice to the mighty Allaho this season, in the John Durkan at Punchestown in December and in the Ryanair at Cheltenham.
And he was far from disgraced when fifth behind Galvin in the Savills at Leopardstown and third to Conflated in the Irish Gold Cup on the same track.
Today’s trip of two and a half miles, is arguably Janidil’s optimum. And he should be very tough to beat.
At the weights, stable-companion Blackbow, wide-margin winner of a minor contest in Clonmel last time and receiving 8lb from the selection, looks the chief threat.
The Mullins-trained Icare Allen, winner of a Grade 3 over this course and distance before finishing fourth to Vauban in the Triumph at Cheltenham, might be capable of giving weight to his rivals in the Donohue Marquees Juvenile Hurdle.
Thedevilscoachman, tried over fences earlier in the season, bounced back to winning form when reverting to hurdles in the Boyne Hurdle at Navan getting the better of Ashdale Bob.
A listed winner last season, today’s Rathbarry & Glenview Stud Hurdle looks a good opportunity for Noel Meade’s charge. And he’s taken to foil Pat Doyle’s progressive Flame Bearer, Darasso and Whiskey Sour.
Peter O’Hehir's tips:
2.05.Vadaly
2.40.Icare Allen (Nap)
3.15.Carrig Sam
3.50.Thedevilscoachman
4.20.Janidil
5.00.Gaillard Du Mesnil
5.40.Donkey Years
6.10.Hunters Yarn
Next Best
2.05.Gjoumi
2.40.Lunar Power
3.15.Festival D’ex
3.50.Flame Bearer
4.20.Blackbow
5.00.Enjoy D’allen
5.40.Young Dev
6.10.The Mediator
Double : Icare Allen and Janidil.
O’Hehir’s Longshot : Velvet Elvis (5.00.)
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