Horse Racing

Farclas fancied for Irish Grand National fling

Tom ReedTom Reed14 April 2022
Farclas at Cheltenham - another Tiger Roll?

Farclas at Cheltenham - another Tiger Roll?

It's the BoyleSports Irish Grand National Chase on Monday April 18 and a host of top stayers from the Emerald Isle are set to go head-to-head. Gordon Elliott's Farclas swerved Aintree for this.

Gordon Elliott's Farclas heads the betting with some firms for the BoyleSports Irish Grand National Chase on Monday April 18 at Fairyhouse.

Fancied by many for the British equivalent at Aintree before being rerouted to Fairyhouse, Farclas is being rivalled in the betting by Willie Mullins' Gaillard Du Mesnil for the three miles, five furlongs contest.

Cullentra House handler Elliott has 16 of the 51 at the forfeit stage with 8-1 chance Farclas the leading light of the Gigginstown House Stud team that includes beaten Aintree runners Run Wild Fred and Death Duty.
Last year's runner-up Run Wild Fred, who was sent off at 8-1 for the Aintree marathon following significant late support, exited at the Canal Turn on the first circuit last Saturday, along with Death Duty.
Gaillard Du Mesnil finished third to L'Homme Presse in the Brown Advisory Novices' Chase at Cheltenham and that form carries real weight.

Max Flamingo, from the The Francis Casey yard, won a handicap hurdle on the corresponding card last year and is entered along with other familiar Irish stayers such as Noel Meade's School Boy Hours and Diol Ker, and Matthew Smith's Ronald Pump.

Minella Times, the 2021 Aintree Grand National winner shares top weight with Franco De Port but it is unkown what Henry De Bromhead's horse's exhertions, when being brought down last week, took out of him.

Ciaran Murphy's Enjoy D'allen, who unseated at the first at Aintree looks set to run after not wasting too much energy on Merseyside.
Meanwhile, Lucinda Russell will not send Ultima victor Corach Rambler, with assistant trainer Peter Scudamore revealing: "We have decided to go to Sandown for the bet365 Gold Cup, if the ground is good to soft. He has come out of Cheltenham better than he went into the race, but we'll only run if the ground is sufficiently soft enough for him."
Peter Roe, general manager of Fairyhouse, said: "We are delighted with the strength in depth of the horses remaining in the BoyleSports Irish Grand National, with last year's Aintree Grand National winner Minella Times heading the weights.
"The ground is currently yielding, good to yielding in places with scattered showers forecast over the next few days."

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