Jockey Seán Flanagan was denied a shot at the big race in Aintree last weekend but aims for “National” glory instead on board the sole Irish challenger Crosshue Boy in Saturday’s Coral Scottish Grand National.
No horse trained in Ireland has won Scotland’s most prestigious National Hunt contest – and one of the biggest betting races of the year – in 150 years.
That was Huntsman back in 1869 and there is an element of The Boys of Wexford about Crosshue Boy’s attempt to conquer his 27 opponents in the prestigious four-mile marathon at Ayr.
Flanagan, from Palace East in Wexford, teams up for the just the second time with Crosshue Boy who is trained near Enniscorthy by Seán Doyle. Owner Niall Heffernan is from nearby Blackwater.
Mall Dini’s late leg injury after being declared for last Saturday’s Aintree National spoiled Flanagan’s hopes in Liverpool but Crosshue Boy has been notably strong in ante-post betting for a big race due off at 3.35pm.
The Irish hope is a general 11-1 shot having been three times that price earlier in the week.
With watering taking place hopes are high Crosshue Boy can repeat his victory in a lucrative novice handicap at the same meeting a year ago. That was a race in which Doyle’s runner beat another of Saturday’s leading fancies, Dingo Dollar.
Gordon Elliott skips the big race but runs both Veinard and Cartwright on the Ayr card which also sees John McConnell’s Pearl Of The West line up under a light weight in the Scottish Champion Hurdle.
Flanagan is set for three rides at Ireland’s sole weekend jumps card at Tramore on Sunday where Willie Mullins runs three in the featured €20,000 Chase.
The trio are all reappearing after almost a year out of action and Ruby Walsh will be on board Pylonthepressure.
The interesting one though could be Class Conti who is having his first start for Ireland’s champion trainer.
From the family of the seven-time Grade One winner, Silviniaco Conti, this was a promising young horse in his native France before his form appeared to taper off.
Mullins introduces Stops A Nation, a half-sister to no less than the classic winner Wicklow Brave, in the bumper while Dark Outsider could prove once again how important course form is at Tramore in the first handicap chase.
