The 2024 Grand National is finally on the horizon, and interest in the most eagerly anticipated race of the year at Aintree has never been higher.
For the first time, a reduced cavalry of just 34 horses, rather than the traditional 40, will line up to compete at Merseyside. However, a slightly smaller field won’t detract from what should be another incredible ride in the sport’s biggest event.
As always, there will be a strong Irish contingent chasing glory at Aintree, with several contenders aiming to emulate Corach Rambler’s success in last year’s iteration.
Irish jockeys, breeders, and owners have a history of success at Aintree, especially at the Grand National, but will the most recent run of success continue in 2024?
The history of Irish success in the Grand National at Aintree
Irish-trained horses have tightened their stranglehold on the Grand National in recent years, and Corach Rambler’s success in 2023 was the fifth Irish win in the last seven years at Aintree.
While their dominance in the Grand National has really come to the fore over the past decade, Ireland’s association with the race reaches even deeper into the past, with close to two centuries of involvement since 1847.
The Coolreagh-bred Matthew was the first to fly the Irish flag to victory back in 1847, and the trailblazer was followed past the post by Abd-el-Kader three years later — the diminutive history-maker who became the first dual winner of the Grand National in 1951.
The Liberator (1879), Woodbrook (1881), Bobbyjo (1999), Papillon (2000), Monty’s Pass (2003), Hedgehunter (2005), Numbersixvalverde (2006) and Silver Birch (2007) were also among those to etch their names in green ink into the annals at Aintree before an eight-year Irish drought began in 2008.
However, when One For Arthur broke the hoodoo again in 2017, it sparked an unprecedented run of success for Irish horses, whose run of five wins in the last seven Grand Nationals took their total haul of victories at Aintree up to 30 overall.
Who was the last Irish winner of the Grand National?
Last year, spectators roared home Corach Rambler to take his place as the 30th Irish winner of the Grand National, seeing off a challenge from Gavin Cromwell’s Vanillier by just over two lengths.
The 8/1 favourite, who was trained by Lucinda Russell and ridden by jockey Derek Fox, claimed the spoils ahead of a field of well-fancied entrants, including Gaillard Du Mesnil, Noble Yeats and The Big Dog.
Corach Rambler, who was a blur of white blaze at Aintree, jumped with zeal throughout and surged clear at the last fence after a composed final jump. Bred by Paul Hillis in Wellingtonbridge, a small village in Wexford in Ireland’s southeast corner, Corach Rambler was the second Grand National win for the Russell and Fox combination following One For Arthur’s triumph in 2017.
Last year’s champion, Corach Rambler, returns to Aintree to defend his Grand National crown in 2024 following his run to third spot at the Cheltenham Gold Cup on the 15th of March.
Which Irish horses are running the Grand National this year?
Alongside defending champion and ante-post favourite Corach Rambler, the 2024 Grand National will be contested by several other Irish entrants this year.
34 Irish-trained horses feature on the current 52-strong list of potential Grand National runners, though that number will be whittled down when final declarations are made on Thursday, the 11th of April 2024.
At 10 am that morning, the top 34 Grand National horses will be settled upon from the weights list, with numerous Irish entries expected to be among them, including at least a quartet of entrants from Willie Mullins’ prolific stables.
Other Irish horses to look out for include:
- Panda Boy – Trainer: Martin Brassil
- Mahler Mission – Trainer: John C McConnell
- Meetingofthewaters – Trainer: Willie Mullins
- Minella Indo – Trainer: Henry de Bromhead
- Mr Incredible – Trainer: Willie Mullins
- Galvin – Trainer: Gordon Elliott
- Noble Yeats – Trainer: Emmet Mullins
- Limerick Lace – Trainer: Gavin Cromwell
- Chemical Energy – Trainer: Gordon Elliott
- Adamantly Chosen – Trainer: Willie Mullins
- Stattler – Trainer: Wille Mullins
- Desertmore House – Trainer: Martin Brassil
- Conflated – Trainer: Gordon Elliott
- Galia Des Liteaux – Trainer: Dan Skelton
- Annual Invictus – Trainer: Chris Gordon
- Shakem Up’Arry – Trainer: Ben Pauling
- Where It All Began – Trainer: Gordon Elliott
- Foxy Jacks – Trainer: M F Morris
- Amirite – Trainer: Henry de Bromhead
- Malina Girl – Trainer: Gavin Cromwell
- Famous Bridge – Trainer: Nicky Richards
Why are Irish trainers so successful in the Grand National?
Success tends to breed success, and Ireland’s dominance of the Grand National is really an extension of the grip they have over the sport of horse racing in general.
The triumvirate of breeding, training and racing is woven into the fabric of Irish culture and names like Willie Mullins, Gordon Elliott, Henry de Bromhead and Coolmore have become synonymous with success, not just at the Grand National but at every track and in every discipline.
Horse racing is a substantial contributor to the Irish economy, so the sport receives enormous government backing in terms of funding and prize money, allowing trainers based here to buy and keep the best horses inside the country’s borders.
Irish horse-training expertise has never been sharper, and Ireland is currently the largest breeder of thoroughbreds in Europe. With so many resources funnelling in and success coming out the other end, the conveyor belt of world-class Irish trainers, jockeys and horses is showing no sign of slowing down.
Irish champion jockey Charlie Swan offered some insight into the development of Ireland’s world-class racing culture before last year’s Grand National, saying:
“Irish racing is very healthy, and we’ve just got classier horses. We’ve got decent owners that are paying decent money and keeping them in Ireland. Years ago, the English owners were coming over and buying all the good horses in Ireland, it’s just the way it turns.”
“I don’t know what you do about it. The only way you can see it turning back is if a couple of the English owners invest again. That’s the only way it can happen, I’d say.”
“There’s good trainers in England, but it’s very competitive in Ireland and good prize money. I don’t know whether the competitiveness makes it better racing, but there’s so many races here [in Britain] that they don’t really take each other on as much, and maybe that’s a big factor as well.”
As in other sports, money talks and investment have allowed Irish trainers to develop a deep-rooted winning culture, leaving their counterparts in the UK to play second fiddle.
Odds of there being another Irish winner of the Aintree Grand National
Many observers expect to see another Irish champion at Grand National 2024, with last year’s winner, Corach Rambler, the clear odds-on-favourite at 5/1 in the ante-post markets to successfully defend his crown.
However, Corach Rambler will face stiff opposition from a lengthy list of compatriots, with 12 of the top 20 horses in the current betting trained in Ireland.
Willie Mullin’s Meetingofthewaters is the shortest-priced Irish entrant after Corach Rambler and the fourth favourite in the markets at the time of writing. A recent success in the Paddy Power Chase at Leopardstown puts Meetingofthewaters in good stead for this race with 10/1 odds at the time of writing.
However, closely behind is Panda Boy, who is priced at 14/1 alongside fellow Irish runner Mr Incredible, another of Willie Mullin’s horses. A second-placed finish for Panda Boy in the Paddy Power Chase at Leopardstown turned heads and heightened expectations for the eight-year-old, who could push again at Aintree.
Elsewhere, big-hitting trainer Henry de Bromhead has been speaking in glowing terms about Minella Indo, and the experienced 11-year-old could threaten from a price of 20/1. De Bromhead will be reunited with jockey Racheal Blackmore at this year’s Grand National — a partnership that combined to guide Minella Times to success in the 2021 event.
2022 winner Noble Yeats, who represents Emmet Mullins, could also be in the mix from a similar starting price. He showcased his class to lodge a Grade 2 win at Cheltenham in January, and while he failed to sparkle in the Stayer Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival more recently, he has retained the ability to put himself in the frame.
Gordon Elliott’s Galvin and Gavin Cromwell’s Limerick Lace will be in the mix at similar odds if they run. Galvin missed out at Cheltenham when poor weather put paid to his appearance, though he could still shape up well as an each-way option.
Meanwhile, Limerick Lace made it three wins from four for Gavin Cromwell when he soared to victory at the Mares’ Chase at Cheltenham and, based on that evidence, could shine again.
Further down the reckoning, Dan Skelton’s Galia Des Liteaux could be one for shortlists at 33/1. The eight-year-old returned from a seven-month absence in impressive style to win over a 3m trip at Market Rasen in November and followed that up with two more eye-catching displays at Newbury (second) and Warwick (second) on either side of Christmas.
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