Considering it has been won in the past by giants of the game like Desert Orchid, Flyingbolt and Arkle, this year's £125,000 Jameson Irish Grand National is unlikely to be remembered as a vintage race in the quality sense.
What it does mean, however, is that this is a truly competitive handicap event. The aforementioned past winners produced winning SP's of evens, 8/11 and 1/ 2 - focal moments, sure, but more for viewing than betting. Slag the quality all you want but this is a real teaser for punters to sink their teeth into.
Considering the famine that British-trained horses had in this race up to Rhyme N Reason's success in 1985, the cross-channel influence is now much more pronounced with the visitors picking up the prize three times in the nineties.
This time four horses make the trip headed by Celtic Giant, an impressive winner of the Kim Muir at Cheltenham, who was one of the last confirmed intended runners for this race. The reason for that was trainer Len Lungo's fear of soft ground for Robbie Supple's mount.
Yesterday a Fairyhouse spokesman reported that the ground will be yielding. "Even with a showery forecast it should still be ideal jumping ground," he said.
Considering that Lungo has reportedly described Celtic Giant's ideal going to be good to firm, it is hardly an encouraging sign. Nevertheless, it will be no surprise to see Celtic Giant come home best of the raiders.
One reason for thinking that is that he is at least on the right side of the 11st divide. Traditionally horses rated over 11st find this a hard race to win despite Papillon's ultra-brave second to Bobbyjo last year. Papillon is back with top weight and while his chance must be respected, there should be one or two of the lightweights too good.
Weight may also be a problem for the admirable Bob Treacy who has been a major player in most of the major domestic handicap chases this season. A Thyestes win was just reward and considering his flop in the Paddy Power Chase at Christmas, he could literally be going the right-handed way this afternoon.
Having said that, it's worth betting that one of the lightly weighted horses wins out.
Novices have a good record in the Irish National and Manus The Man has been a popular choice in the ante-post market. Runner up to the smart Rince Ri at Naas, he had won twice previously and Jason Titley, twice an Irish National winner, is a good man to have on your side. Manus The Man's comparative inexperience, however, must be worry against seasoned handicappers.
The teak-tough Roundwood fell at the first last year but if today's race comes down to a scrap, the the others had better watch out. The same comment could also apply to Risk Of Thunder, The Quads and Pauls Run.
One horse who fills the progressive lightweight criteria perfectly, though, is Glebe Lad. He wasn't fully wound up when third in the Paddy Power, was going particularly well in the Thyestes when falling five out and a nice pipeopener on the flat at the Curragh eight days ago confirmed the impression that this is the race he has been laid out for.
Providing jockey Tom Rudd gets the horse into an early rhythm with his jumping, trainer Michael O'Brien could end up greeting his third Irish National winner and Glebe Lad can join an impressive roll of honour.
And the new partnership of Dermot Weld and Pat Smullen can hit the bullseye on the last day of Cork's Easter festival with a double through Archive Footage and Port Bayou.
A substantial gamble went astray on Archive Footage in the Coral Cup at Cheltenham but the classically-bred gelding was found to have burst during the race.
He returns to the track where he carried 10st to success in a race last year, and despite racing over a quarter mile less in the Homestead Handicap, he can repeat that feat. The small field and the long straight should suit this resolute galloper, who took the Ladbroke Hurdle in January.
Weld holds a lot of regard for Port Bayou, who won easily on his debut at Galway and was then placed in a Group Three at the Curragh and a Listed race at Leopardstown.
On the latter running, he has a couple of lengths in hand of the Aidan O'Brien-trained Gowran scorer, Yeoman's Point, and can confirm the form in the Kelloggs Race.
O'Brien and Mick Kinane can take the opening two races, though, with newcomers. King Of Connaught was a two-year-old winner for Ballydoyle at the Curragh and Buffalo Berry can continue that run in the opener; while the Fairy King colt, Lucky Legend, can get the better of Weld's Ryan's Brief in the seven furlong maiden.
