There is a strong Irish challenge for this year’s Grand National once again and my shortlist is made up of four horses trained over the Irish Sea.
Gordon Elliott has won three Grand Nationals and has a strong hand this year.
DELTA WORK has plenty of class and has been plying his trade largely in cross country races. He was third in this last year though and is 1lb lower this time round.
Delta Work and Keith Donoghue win the Cross Country Chase
I also like GALVIN for the yard after he was runner up to Delta Work in the Cheltenham cross country race. Elliott said he would improve for that run and while he has plenty of weight to carry, he could run into a place.
He is a class act as a former National Hunt Chase winner and was fourth in the 2022 Gold Cup. Willie Mullins has an obvious claim with National Hunt Chase winner GAILLARD DU MESNIL.
He was third in last season’s Irish National and while he’s only a novice, he’s a very good one, and that didn’t stop Noble Yeats last year.
Gaillard Du Mesnil and Paul Townend win the Neville Hotels Novice Steeplechase
THE BIG DOG completes my top four. He was third in the Welsh National before an unfortunate fall in the Irish Gold Cup at Leopardstown on his most recent outing in February.
He was going well before tipping up there, and if he can bounce back from that, is classy enough to make his presence felt at Aintree.
