Punters eye National double for Willie Mullins BOYLE Sports has reported a surge of support behind champion trainer Willie Mullins to land a remarkable Irish and English Grand National double next week, with punters latching onto his powerful hand across both showpiece events. The Closutton maestro is responsible for two of the leading contenders in next weekend’s Grand National at Aintree, with 2024 hero I Am Maximus topping the market at 8/1 to regain his crown. Stablemate Grangeclare West is also prominent in the betting at 10/1, sitting alongside the other leading fancies as joint second favourite. Before attention turns to Aintree, however, Mullins has his sights firmly set on the €500,000 prize pot in the BOYLE Sports Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse on Easter Monday. The market is headed by The Jukebox Kid at 6/1, as Ben Pauling bids to follow up on last year’s successful British raid on Ireland’s richest jumps race after Rebecca Curtis landed the spoils with Haiti Couleurs. Mullins saddles two of the three second favourites, with Argento Boy and C'est Ta Chance both priced at 8/1. The latter has been one of the standout market movers of the past week, having been backed in steadily from an opening price of 25/1. Brian O’Keeffe, spokesperson for BOYLE Sports, said: “Punters are putting all their Easter eggs in one basket this year and they think they’ve cracked it by siding with Willie Mullins in both of next week’s Grand Nationals. C’est Ta Chance has turned into a significant plunge horse in Ireland, while a fairytale success with I Am Maximus at Aintree would spell disaster for the bookies.”
