31 runners remain for the 131st running of the E170,000 Powers Gold label Irish Grand National due to take place at Fairyhouse on Easter Monday Apri1 1. Heading the entry is the Ted Walsh-trained Commanche Court, winner of this coveted race in 2000 and a gallant runner-up to Best Mate in the Tote Gold Cup at Cheltenham earlier this month.
Walsh will walk the Ratoath track on Thursday before making a decision to declare on Friday morning and has not ruled out withdrawing the former Triumph Hurdle hero if the ground comes up testing on race day.
Ferdy Murphy has left both Hindiana and Luzcadou in but on Wednesday he stated they were "unlikely to run if Commanche Court stays in". Venetia Williams has confirmed Trouble Ahead as a definite runner in the race despite the fact that he will be racing from out of the handicap should Commanche Court remain at the head of the weights.
Looking towards the Powers Gold Cup on Easter Tuesday, Ferdy Murphy is keen to let Arkle fourth Truckers Tavern, runner-up to Harbour Pilot in the Dr P J Moriarty Chase at Leopardstown in February, take his chance. "I will be talking to his owner Ray Scholey who is due to arrive at the stables on Wednesday and we'll make a decision as we'd have to ship the horse over to Ireland on Saturday," said Murphy. "It is drying out over there I believe but the forecast for Liverpool is also good so we'll have to decide before Thursday."
The Irish Grand National, the highlight of the four-day Easter Festival which begins on Sunday 31st March, is worth E107,000 to the winning connections.
Dick Sheil, General Manager of Fairyhouse, said on Wednesday morning: "The forecast until Saturday is for good fine weather but there is cloud forecast for Saturday with sunshine and showers, some locally heavy, on Sunday and Monday. The going at the moment is currently yielding to soft, yielding in places and taking the weather forecast into account, I'd say it will be no better than good to yielding on Easter Monday."
Filed by Shane Murray
