Inside: Can Lord Lariat make it back-to-back successes in the Irish Grand National?. Collaborative post.
Since the cancellation of the 2020 renewal of the Irish Grand National due to the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, the Fairyhouse-based contest has been dominated by one trainer — and no, it’s not one of the country’s deadly trio of Closutton colossal Willie Mullins, four-time English National winner Gordon Elliott or Henry de Bromhead.
Dermot McLoughlin is the handler proving a thorn in the sides of Ireland’s big three, winning the last two editions of the Irish National with rank outsiders.
Based just miles away from the County Meath track in Bodeen, McLoughlin landed Ireland’s biggest jumps prize with 150/1 shot Freewheelin Dylan in 2021 and made it back-to-back wins with 40/1 chance Lord Lariat last year.
With around 40 horses on his books — less than the number of runners Mullins had at the recent Cheltenham Festival alone — McLoughlin is certainly still one of the smaller trainers in the Emerald Isles, but he could become the first handler since Jim Dreaper in the late 1970s to win three successive renewals of the Fairyhouse showpiece.
If he is to claim the hat-trick on Easter Monday (April 10), it will be with his shortest-price runner yet as defending champion Lord Lariat is the 9/1 second favourite in the Irish Grand National odds.
A trip to Aintree for the Grand National was the main aim for the eight-year-old this season, but he was scratched from one of the world’s most prestigious races recently and now looks likely to defend his Irish crown.
Lord Lariat’s form hasn’t been the most convincing since his surprise victory at Fairyhouse last April however, finishing fourth of five runners in a Grade 3 won by Galvin at Punchestown with Rachael Blackmore in the saddle before sixth and seventh place finishes in a handicap chase and a handicap hurdle at Fairyhouse and Leopardstown respectively.
McLoughlin seems to remain confident in his horse’s ability however, saying earlier this month: “I gave him a run on Monday and I thought he ran very well actually. That will hopefully leave him spot-on, although he might get another run or a racecourse gallop and school somewhere.
“We’re happy with the weight in the Irish Grand National (10st 4lb) and everything else, so we’ll see what happens.”
7/1 favourite Thedevilscoachman looks like the one to beat at Fairyhouse though. Owned by JP McManus, the most successful and prolific owner in United Kingdom and Ireland jumps racings with over 4000 wins, the seven-year-old has won three of his four races so far this season — with the only blemish on his seasonal record coming when he fell at the last in the Grade 1 Drinmore Novice Chase.
He won a Beginners Chase at Galway on his seasonal reappearance prior to that top-level outing and has bounced back at lower grades since, being awarded the Grade 3 Naas Novice Chase after initially finishing second to the Mullins-trained Ramillies by a neck, before making it back-to-back Grade 3 victories in the Hugh McMahon Memorial Novice Chase at Limerick on March 26.
It is a close turnaround for this race on April 10th and a step up in trip, but Thedevilscoachman is still a great shout. Stumpton for Gavin Cromwell also has a solid claim at 9/1 and off a favourable weight of 9-5.