Key trends to consider for the Irish Grand National Aintree’s Grand National is perhaps a bit more prestigious, in large part due to the spectacle of it being run over the big fences. However, Fairyhouse hosts the Irish equivalent over Easter weekend and it’s an excellent race in its own right, also steeped in history. It’s a fascinating betting heat as well and you can get some particularly juicy prices if you shop around. There will be a big field, which will make forming your shortlists an arduous task, so we’ve taken a look at some of the most significant recent trends to help you get started. Weight: The 11st Barrier Carrying big weights over 3m5f at speed can be a difficult task, so it’s no surprise that seven of the last 10 winners carried less than 11st. Of the three who managed to carry in excess of 11st, the highest weight carried was 11st 4lb. The 167-rated I Am Maximus’ presence amongst the entries is probably skewing the weights at the moment as both he and the second top rated entry are unlikely to run, as they could be Aintree-bound. Keep a close eye on this one as it’s a hard stat to ignore. Added to this, Our Duke’s victory for Jessica Harrington back in 2017 was achieved off a mark of 153 and every other winner ran off a rating of 149 or lower. British Runners: Seeking a Double British-trained horses have won this race five times since the turn of the century and that includes the Rebecca Curtis-trained Haiti Couleurs, who won it last year. There are several intriguing British entries at this stage and National Hunt Chase winner Holloway Queen is near the top of the list. Ben Pauling has also entered the progressive novice The Jukebox Kid and he was last seen winning the Grade 2 Reynoldstown Novices’ Chase at Ascot. Ultima winner Johnnywho is also there, but you wouldn’t be surprised if he was to go to Aintree instead this year. The "Big Five" Trainers Ireland’s five biggest Jumps trainers don’t have an amazing record in this race. Willie Mullins has won the race twice, with I Am Maximus in 2023 and Burrows Saint in 2019, while Gordon Elliott only has one victory to his name, with General Principle coming out on top in 2018. Henry de Bromhead, Gavin Cromwell and Joseph O’Brien have never won the race and all three would love to add it to their CVs. Now Is The Hour looks like Cromwell’s best chance, while Kim Roque is popular in the betting for O’Brien. De Bromhead might have to wait a little longer. Age Profile: Favoring the Youth Veterans have struggled in this race in recent years and, while two of the last 10 winners were nine, the other eight were six, seven or eight. This trend is a good indication of why novices have a fairly decent record in the race, as being unexposed can be a major advantage. We haven’t had a veteran winner since 10-year-old Liberty Counsel back in 2013 and that’s unlikely to change this year. The likes of Oscars Brother, Holloway Queen, Now Is The Hour and C’Est Ta Chance are all novices and are well worth adding to your shortlists. The Verdict Holloway Queen will be bidding to follow in the footsteps of last year’s winner Haiti Couleurs by winning the National Hunt Chase at the Cheltenham Festival and following up here. Clearly stamina is no problem for Nicky Henderson’s mare and there’s plenty going in her favour.
