WHY THE 2020 IRISH GRAND NATIONAL IS STILL A WINNER: Daqman’s Easter brief would have been an ABC guide to the Irish Grand National. Last week his first value bet for the computerised Virtual Grand National was 18-1 winner, Potters Corner. Says Daqman: ‘The Irish Grand National should still be run this year. He is checking out all the front-runners in the market that was cancelled, and will be ready to win the race when it happens. Daqman’s ‘result’ will be revealed tomorrow.
‘BETTING SECRETS’ RETURNS TOMORROW AND ALL THE WEEK: Have you been following Daqman’s series on Betting Secrets? Look out for tomorrow’s update and more inside information and professional secrets all the week.
PUT IRISH RACE IN MARATHON SERIES
It’s a boom time for young chasers. On this day last year, the Fairyhouse Gold Cup Novice Chase was won by Voix Du Reve, still only eight and ‘could be anything.’
The 2018 winner is still only eight, too. Yet Al Boum Photo has already gone on to complete a Cheltenham Gold Cup double. Both Voix Du Reve and Al Boum Photo are trained by Willie Mullins.
We should not lose such a trial for young chasers, nor should the East Monday highlight of the Fairyhouse meeting, the Irish Grand National, be lost for the same reason.
Burrows Saint won it last year when only six, and three seven-year-olds had won it in the previous five years.
Famous for such as Arkle and Desert Orchid, the race could still be a showpiece for young horses, a major stepping-stone in their experience before Cheltenham and the Grand Nationals of 2021.
As I see it, there could be a major series of autumn marathons. If England and Ireland co-operate, it would be a huge attraction for sponsors, and punters.
These are quite different events, run at different speeds over different courses, run at least a month apart, allowing youngsters to emerge from them separately or in a sequence which could have a jackpot prize:
October: Irish Grand National, Fairyhouse
November: Ladbrokes Trophy, Newbury
December: Becher Chase, Aintree
It’s worth the research and mental exercise now to see how the Irish National might turn out. Not much more than a week ago (it feels like a month), we were watching the Virtual Grand National, won by Potters Corner.
I’m going to imagine that something comes along at Fairyhouse as a viable 2021 Aintree opponent to Potters Corner, who will no doubt cross the Irish Sea and try to complete the strangest National double of all time this year: one virtual, the other when Easter Monday falls in the autumn!
Take a look at my top Irish Grand National probables, had the race been run, and I will give you my result tomorrow, when my ‘secrets’ series resumes:
🏇 ACAPELLA BOURGEOIS 10-10-10 (Willie Mullins): Became his trainer’s eighth Thyestes winner here at Fairyhouse in February, 15 lengths in front of Bellshill and Alpha Des Obeaux, and 6lb better with the winner for seven lengths when third in the 2019 Irish National.
🏇 BURROWS SAINT 7-10-10 (Willie Mullins): Fifth in the ‘virtual’, had won the 2019 Irish National when still a six-year-old novice, breaking Willie Mullins’ duck in the race. Back to form at Punchestown the last day.
🏇 RAVENHILL 10-10-7 (Gordon Elliott): Despite his turning 10 in January, Ravenhill made rapid ratings headway – 25lb in five races from last July – even though he fell, well fancied, in the Troytown.
Won a massive battle with Lord Du Mesnil when the pair came nearly 30 lengths clear of the NH Chase field at the Cheltenham festival.
🏇 ANY SECOND NOW 8-10-6 (Ted Walsh): Third in the ‘virtual’ race, after strong support for the real thing at Aintree before it was called off. But Fairyhouse has been his unlucky course.
Chasing the leaders when he fell in the Irish National last season, two years after he unseated behind Al Boum Photo in a Grade-2 novice hurdle at the same meeting.
Also unseated behind Roaring Bull in the big Graded chase at Christmas, when badly hampered four out, but close to making amends when third on the same course in the Leopardstown Chase.
🏇 BATTLEOVERDOYEN 7-10-5 (Gordon Elliott) A grand stamp of individual but has his quirks. Disappointing since an autumn double when he beat Cap York at Galway and Any Second Now at Punchestown.
🏇 DISCORAMA 7-10-4 (Paul Nolan) High rating follows Ultima third to The Conditional at the Cheltenham Festival. Still only seven.
🏇 MILAN NATIVE 7-10-3 (Gordon Elliott) Consistent without scoring over fences until stepped up in trip to win the Kim Muir at Cheltenham, and could go on from there in stamina tests.
🏇 AGUSTA GOLD 7-9-7 (Margaret Mullins) Another consistent over shorter trips who ran her best race yet when stepped up a mile, just caught in the Punchestown Grand National Trial, giving 20lb to the winner.
🏇 EARLY DOORS 7-9-7 (Joseph O’Brien) Martin Pipe winner over hurdles last year but is 0-4 trying to make the transition to fences. Better to come.
🏇 CAP YORK 8-9-8 (Noel Meade) Quirky sort though not disgraced against quality horses and finally came good in the Leinster National last month, staying on well to beat Cheb De Kerviniou, who had run third in the Punchestown Grand National Trial (receiving 19lb from runner-up Agusta Gold).
Other young horses who were also engaged: 7-11-10 Delta Work; 7-11-6 Real Steel, 8-10-10 Voix Du Reve, 7-10-7 Tout Est Permis, 8-10-6 Talkischeap, 8-10-4 Kimberlite Candy, 7-10-2 Salsaretta, 6-10-1 Galvin, 8-9-11 Le Breuil, 8-9-9 Fitzhenry, 8-9-9 Jerrysback, 8-9-9 Kashari, 7-9-9 Roaring Bull.
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