Ground concerns for national favourite

Tony Martin’s exciting young novice chaser Saddlers Storm is one of 51 horses remaining at today’s five day stage declared for the €250,000 Powers Whiskey Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse on Easter Monday. Martin, who took the Blue Riband of Irish racing in 2001 with David’s Lad, is happy with the progress shown of his eight year old this season: “He’s in good order and has come out of the Navan race very well. He's taken such a long time to come to himself - he's eight but he's only made the racecourse nine times. He's really started to come into himself this season, which is why seven of those runs have been this year, and he's progressing the whole time.”

But the Co. Meath trainer, who will saddle four in the marathon contest, has voiced a word of caution about the potentially heavy ground and admitted that the Irish Grand National favourite, who is generally available at 7/1 with most firms, would like it less than heavy. “The ground on Monday would be a concern for Saddlers Storm and Royal County Star as they like yielding ground ideally but on the plus side, the softer ground will probably suit Hold The Pin and Lochan Lacha. The deeper the ground the better for Lochan Lacha” noted Martin. Regarding jockey selection, Martin commented: “I would hope to have David Casey for Saddlers Storm and Robbie Colgan for Royal County Star at the moment.”

Top weight Notre Pere has been taken out of the big race due to the deteriorating ground but the Jim Dreaper stable will be represented by Telenor, who recently deadheated with Uimhiraceathair in the Grade Two Ten Up Chase at Navan.

Six UK raiders remain in the line up for the Easter Monday showpiece including the Ferdy Murphy pair, Cheltenham hero Poker De Sivola and Galant Nuit although the Yorkshire-based trainer cautioned about the ground, “we would like to run but both horses may not due to the ground.”

Bob Buckler, victorious last year with Niche Market, has Double Dizzy declared for the contest although the Double Trigger gelding would need better ground to see him at his best.

The Venetia Williams pair, Flintoff and Officier de Reserve and the Charlie Longsdon-trained Far More Serious makes up the raiding party declared for the Fairyhouse feature.

With Notre Pere taken out of the race, Siegemaster will take the mantle of top weight with Aran Concerto, whose trainer Noel Meade admitted may not run due to the ground, but will definitely be represented by Across the Bay. The Castletown trainer said: “Across The Bay is well and he stays very well and goes on soft ground so we would be hopeful of a good run.”

Siegemaster will represent the Dessie Hughes stable, and the Kildare handler is looking for a big run from the nine year old on Monday, having been placed in both the Paddy Power Chase and the Thyestes Chase this season: ‘He is very well and he won’t mind the ground, providing it improves a bit, as he handles the soft,’ reported Hughes. “While he has gone up a bit (10lbs) since the start of the season, I’d day he’ll love the trip of three and a half miles and I think he has his chance.”

Runner up in the Thyestes Chase and three and a half lengths ahead of Siegemaster Hangover will provide Conor O’Dwyer with his first runner in a National with Hangover. The Curragh handler remarked: - “he wasn’t right the last day he ran at Navan. A few of mine just weren’t themselves at the time, but on his run in the Thyestes, you’d have to think that he’d have his chance.” O’Dwyer continued,” “he is unexposed over fences and he is adaptable ground wise and all he did at Gowran was stay, so the extra few furlongs won’t bother him.”

Paul Nolan believes Alpha Ridge could prove well handicapped when he lines up on Easter Monday. The eight-year-old is still a maiden over fences after four starts but has filled the runner-up spot three times, most notably chasing home the high-class Pandorama in the Drinmore Novice Chase at Fairyhouse in December. “Alpha Ridge will hopefully take his chance. It looks as though he has a lenient enough mark compared to his hurdle rating,” said the Co.Wexford trainer. “We ran him in the Drinmore at Fairyhouse in very heavy ground and there were only four finishers as most of them either pulled up or fell. He jumped poorly in Leopardstown over Christmas and we pulled him out fairly quickly then in Naas, thinking he would win, and he just got beaten again. When you're running in really heavy ground, maybe we should have had more of a plan rather than running him twice in a month, so we're just hoping that hasn't taken too much out of him. We've given him a nice break, freshened him up and he looks a picture.”

Market support has come with some firms for the Willie Mullins trained Ballytrim, who won the Leinster National at Naas on Soft ground and is now widely available at 10/1 second favourite. Equus Maximus, Polmar and Pomme Tiepy make up the representation from the Closutton stable.

In the supporting card, a quality line up including Aitmatov, Cousin Vinny, Donnas Palm, Mourad and Ninetieth Minute are among the entries for the Grade 3 Ladbrokes.com Hurdle over two miles four furlongs.

Regarding the ground for Monday, the changeable weather is difficult to assess but the situation is being closely monitored. Speaking this morning, Caroline Gray, General Manager for Fairyhouse Racecourse said: - “We have had just over 6mm of rain overnight following 25mm since Sunday evening and there is water lying of the track in places. We are currently pumping the surface water away and with a forecast of dry and breezy weather today and tomorrow we are still confident that everything will go ahead as planned for the Festival.”