The Grand National: Can the Irish maintain their Cheltenham success?

Irish annihilation – that’s the best way to describe how Britain’s biggest horse races have gone in recent years. One just needs to take a look back at the results from the 2021 Cheltenham Festival to see the supremacy from the Emerald Isle, with Irish-trained horses winning 23 of the 28 races at last year’s renewal at Prestbury Park. It wasn’t quite an annihilation this year, with the Brits restoring some pride, and all eyes are now turning to the Grand National.

At Aintree’s synonymous steeplechase race, the luck of the Irish also seems to be in full force – a quick a look at the Grand National 2022 odds will give an idea. And in recent years, too, it seems that Irish trainers have dominated. Here’s a look back at some of the main talking points and a rundown of some of the favourites ahead of next month’s race.

Rachael Blackmore and the 2021 Grand National

In last year’s race, Rachael Blackmore made history, as she became the first female jockey to win the Grand National with Irish-bred Minella Times – also trained by Irishman Henry de Bromhead. While it proved a landmark day in the sport – not least because it also marked 44 years since the first female jockey, Charlotte Brew took part in the race – it was a landslide for all those travelling across the Irish Sea.

The dominance was laid bare on the results card, with Irish trainers saddling the first five horses over the line, as well as ten of the first 11 finishers. In addition to landing victory, de Bromhead lay claim to the runner-up Balko Des Flos, who was a rank outsider at 100/1. Elsewhere, Ted Walsh saddled the third-placed Any Second Now, with Burrows Saint and Cabaret Queen the best finishers from Willie Mullins’s yard. Mrs Denise Foster had three entries in the top 11, with Farclas, Shattered Love and Alpha des Obeaux transferring to her yard earlier in the season, amidst the Gordon Elliott controversy.

Dan Skelton broke the mould, with the Brit’s 50/1 chance Blaklion finishing in sixth, to restore a bit of pride to home connections.

A recent resurgence

Prior to Mouse Morris winning the 2016 renewal with Rule the World, Irish-trained horses won just two of the previous nine runnings: Gordon Elliott was successful in 2007 (with Silver Birch) and Jonjo O’Neill won in 2010 (with Don’t Push It).

However, there seems to be an Irish resurgence and, while the 2020 Grand National was postponed amidst the pandemic, it’s successful trainer Elliott who boasts dual winner Tiger Roll (2018 and 2019). He could well have made it a hat-trick last year, had it not been for the handicap debate, and, sadly, we won’t see the 12-year-old chaser look to emulate the feats of Red Rum and win three Nationals, as he’s been ruled out of next month’s race for that very same reason. 

However, with training four of the five winners, it appears that the Irish are looking to dominate at Aintree, as well as Prestbury Park.

The 2022 hopefuls

There’s an Irish charge at the top of the antepost Grand National 2022 markets, with five of the top six horses all hailing from over the Irish Sea. The leading favourite is Any Second Now, who placed last year and finished just over eight lengths behind the winner.

Elliott has several chances of regaining the Grand National – and his biggest favourite is Galvin. However, winning the Savill’s Chase earlier in the season has seen the gelding handed with the joint-top weight. Both he and stablemate Conflated will be sent out at 11st 10lb. Escaria Ten and Mount Ida also hail from his Cullentra stables.

In fact, it’s fair to say the Brits aren’t fancied at all, with Charlie Longsdon’s Snow Leopardess the only British-trained horse in the antepost top ten, at the time of writing. The northwest had better watch out, there’s going to be an Irish invasion at Aintree next month.

The editorial unit