Paul Townend wins his first Irish National Horses for Courses

The Fairyhouse Easter Grand National meeting got off to a good start for punters with the favourite, Risk Belle, getting the feature in the steward’s room on Saturday for trainer Willie Mullins, owner JP McManus and jockey Mark Walsh at 7/2. The winner was interfered with on the run in by Moonbeg Park.

In Sunday’s Gold Cup, Mullins saddled six of the eight runners. Gordon Elliott’s Mighty Potter suffered a fatal fall and Bride’s Hill pulled up giving Mullins a clean sweep, winning with 17/2 shot Flame Bearer with Sean O’Keeffe riding.

The other Grade 1 on the card was also trained by Mullins as Ashroe Diamond under Paul Townend beat Whatcouldhavebeen.

On Monday, the Irish Grand National winner was again trained by Mullins as I Am Maximus was brought with a late run by Townend to beat the Elliot trained pair Gevrey and Defi Blue. Townend was filling a blank on his CV in winning the race for the first time. Mullins had 11 winners from 23 races and had another four winners in Cork over the weekend.

Weekend action…

This week starts with a day of rest in Ireland and tomorrow (Friday) there is racing on two fronts, national hunt in the west at Ballinrobe, away at 4.50 pm, and on the all-weather at Dundalk at 5.10 pm. No racing in Ireland on Saturday with the Grand National at Aintree the main focus of the day for punters. Sunday is again a double venue day on the flat in the Cur-

by Tom Red

ragh at 1.25 pm with two Group 3 races, the Alleged Stakes and the Gladness Stakes with racing over the jumps at Tramore at 2.15 pm. Tramore race again on Monday evening.

Early racing coverage this week with ITV and Virgin Media 1 covering Aintree on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, with five races each day. There are three Grade 1 races Thursday and Friday with two more on Saturday and the feature of the meeting the Grand National.

The weather is still affecting racing with yesterday’s flat meeting at Gowran Park falling to an early morning inspection with a waterlogged track. The going at Ballinrobe for Friday is soft to heavy, heavy in places, and soft at Tramore for Sunday and Monday. Gowran Park has been rescheduled for next Tuesday, April 18th.

Aintree Grand National

There are 50 left in the Grand National with 27 of the 40 guaranteed a run trained in Ireland, as are seven of the ten reserves, if there are any withdrawals.

They will all be at the pin of their collars to beat Linda Russell’s Corach Rambler who beat Fastorslow in Cheltenham. Local interest stems with Sean Mulryan’s Longhouse Poet at 16/1, Galvin runs and could be ridden by Davy Russell and will carry all Irish hopes and a good bit of cash if they do take their place. Dunboyne from Gordon Elliott’s at 50/1 looks a reasonable small e/w bet on foot of his second in the Thyestes Chase, an Irish National trial, following up on a win at the same track earlier. The best tip of all for this race as usual is stick a pin in the field and you will have as good a chance as any.

Competition Corner

Competition time again with tickets for the two-day meeting at Kilbeggan on April 20th and 21st on top of us. To win a pair of tickets for both days please tell us what horse won the Irish Grand National on Sunday?

Answers as usual please to The Roscommon People, Ab- bey Street, Roscommon or by e-mail to tomred17@gmail. com by 5 pm on Wednesday, April 19th and don’t forget to include your name, address and a contact phone number with all competition entries. Tickets will have to be collected on Thursday at the office in Abbey Street, Roscommon.