McLoughlin eyeing National bid with Captain Cj Dermot McLoughlin is planning an exciting campaign with staying chaser Captain Cj culminating in a crack at the Boylesports Irish Grand National in Fairyhouse next Easter. The Westerner gelding is lightly-raced for a nine-year-old and, having won three times between the flags, was nearly seven when joining McLoughlin and enjoyed his finest hour to-date when landing the Grade 2 Ten Up Novice Chase at Navan in February. He proved a bitter disappointment when reappearing at Cork last month but put that well and truly behind him when staying on strongly into third behind Court Maid in the BarOneRacing.com Porterstown Handicap Chase at Fairyhouse. McLoughlin reports his stablestar in good form saying, “There is not a bother on him after his run in Fairyhouse. He’s a very hardy horse. “He ran no race first time out this season at Cork. He just didn’t enjoy himself and didn’t want to be there for whatever reason I don’t know. At least we can put a line through that now. “We’ll have a think about where we go next and he has a few options. He’s entered in the Paddy Power Chase at Leopardstown, and we are also thinking about the Eider at Newcastle as he stays so well. “He has all those staying chase options like the Thyestes. There is no bottom to him and he’ll just keep going and going.” McLoughlin trains very close to Fairyhouse at Bodeen and the Irish National has extra significance as his father Liam rode the Tom Dreaper-trained Kerforo to win the race back in 1962. “My father won many big races including the Irish National and he also rode both Arkle and Flyingbolt to win races. “Long term this season I would like to have a go at the Irish National. That’s where I would like him to end up and hopefully he can win a nice race on the way.”
