Tony McCoy will have just his second ever ride in the Powers Gold Label Irish Grand National when he teams up with the JP McManus owned Kadoun in Fairyhouse's Easter Monday feature.
A total of 27 horses were declared for the €250,000 holiday highlight yesterday with McManus's other hope Le Coudray topping the weights.
McCoy has never won the Aintree Grand National during his illustrious career but his sole attempt at the Irish version did yield a third placing on Winning Dream two years ago.
However, despite the presence of the British champion jockey it is Point Barrow who tops the Paddy Power ante-post betting at 7 to 1 with Ruby Walsh's intended mount Numbersixvalverde next best at 8 to 1. Kadoun is rated a 10 to 1 shot.
"Tony will be at Fairyhouse for all three days of the festival and his rides will also include Like-A-Butterfly in the Power Gold Cup on Tuesday," said McManus's racing manager Frank Berry yesterday.
"Kadoun is in great form and the ground should be okay but it's hard to win these nationals when you have your share of weight."
Ground conditions at Fairyhouse are currently testing but they are expected to improve by Monday with the course manager Dick Sheil reporting yesterday: "The forecast is for sunny spells and light showers over the weekend and I could see us probably getting to yielding to soft by Monday."
Granit D'Estruval was a cross-channel winner of the National last year but Monday's race will be an all-home affair. The field will include the 2002 winner The Bunny Boiler.
It looks like being a different story for the feature race at the Punchestown festival next month as already Kingscliff, a late withdrawal from the Cheltenham Gold Cup, has been pencilled in for a possible clash with Kicking King in the Guinness Gold Cup.
Last year's winner Beef Or Salmon will not defend his Punchestown crown, however, as trainer Michael Hourigan confirmed yesterday his Gold Cup disappointment is finished for the season.
"He is being roughed off for the year and you won't see him again until the autumn. He had a lot of stuff in his lungs after Cheltenham but we haven't used antibiotics. We're using Doctor Green instead," Hourigan said jokingly.
The holiday racing programme kicks off at opposite sides of the country today with the most valuable contest of the day being the €35,000 Imperial Call Chase at Cork. Joueur d'Estruval won the Listed event in good style last year and while being strictly "wrong" with the likes of Colonel Monroe on ratings he does come here in fine form having won twice over hurdles.
Ruby Walsh could also be on the mark in the handicap chase with last week's Limerick runner-up Jakers while Money Mate wasn't beaten too far at the Curragh last Sunday and at least will have the edge on experience in the opener.
At Down Royal Malthouse Master might be one to follow in the mile-and-a-half handicap if translating some of his winter jumping form to the level and Lucky Star might be worth a look in the first.
