Summary
On Monday, April 18, at 5 p.m., the Irish Grand National 2022 will take place. Many fans will be watching the big race on the third and final day of the Easter Festival at Fairyhouse.
Robbie Power, who previously won the Irish Grand National on Our Duke in 2017, knows what it takes to win big races.
Power was speaking on behalf of BoyleSports, the Irish Grand National sponsor, and shared his thoughts on the race.
Who do you plan to ride in the BoyleSports Irish Grand National, and what are your chances?
I ride Time To Get Up for Jonjo O’Neill; he won the Midland Grand National last year, finished third this year, and clearly the trip and ground won’t be an issue for him, so I’d like to believe he has a decent each-way chance.
Who is the race’s standout runner?
I believe there is only one horse in the field that can blow the field away, Gaillard Du Mesnil. When it comes to the Irish Grand National and deciding who to back, novices have a great record in the race, and he checks that box. Over hurdles, he was a dual grade one winner.
He certainly hasn’t reached the heights he should have over fences, but he’s been in good company and I believe he’d have to be a strong favourite for the event.
What are your thoughts on Max Flamingo’s chances?
I believe he [Max Flamingo] has a chance; he won over hurdles at the [Fairyhouse Easter] Festival, and he’s a horse with a lot of talent. His jumping can let him down at times, but the Caseys are extremely astute.
Francis and his great father Peter were astute businessmen, and if they like Max Flamingo, they should go for it.
I’m inclined to agree with him. I believe he has a strong each-way chance. He’s got a nice racing weight on his back, and he’d be someone I’d look up to.
Is he going to be the happy ending?
I believe it would [be a fairytale outcome] – the Caseys are wonderful people.
They’re sheep ranchers who are still in the early stages of their careers. Local trainers, it’s interesting how the Irish Grand National can sometimes stay so local, and there are a few local trainers in the race – Francis Casey being the top one, and then Matthew Smith and Ronald Pump, who both train near to Fairyhouse.
They’re two of the smallest yards in the contest with huge bets.
What criteria would you use to select the winner of the BoyleSports Irish Grand National?
At any track, course form is crucial, but Fairyhouse is a particularly fair one. It’s a wonderful pursuit track with a lot of leaping, so you’ll need to be a decent jumper to navigate it. But, in general, it’s a relatively fair track with very few exceptions.
Which rides at the Fairyhouse Easter Festival do you think are the best?
I’m excited to ride Edison Kent tomorrow [Saturday], as it will be my first time running over three miles. He’s a hefty price, but I believe he has a shot in any direction.
He’ll enjoy the ground, and he’s done an excellent job on his research. On Sunday, I have two nice rides in the Mares’ Novice Hurdle, with Bodhisattva – and Say Goodbye.
Love Envoi, who was extremely stunning when she won at the Cheltenham Festival, will be difficult to beat, but there are two rides I’m looking forward to on Sunday.
What is the significance of the BoyleSports Irish Grand National to Ireland?
In Fairyhouse, the Irish Grand National is linked with Easter Monday, and it’s the one race that never seems to change – it’s held on Easter Monday every year.
It’s Ireland’s most renowned horse race, and it’s the race that every jockey and trainer aspires to win.
On BoyleSports Irish Grand National Day, how is the atmosphere?
It’s a major family day out, and many people who go Fairyhouse on Easter Monday aren’t racing fans throughout the rest of the year. It’s a major event, and the atmosphere is usually fantastic.
The procession is right in front of the grandstand, so you can truly take in the ambiance. It’s a wonderful event, and I’m honoured to be a part of it.
Where does your victory in the BoyleSports Irish Grand National rank among your career triumphs?
[Winning the 2017 Irish Grand National] was a tremendous delight for me, and I enjoyed it as much as any of my other triumphs. My local racetrack is Fairyhouse, and I was there when Desert Orchid won the Irish Grand National when I was a youngster. It was the only race that had a chance to win.
I’d always wanted to win, and I’d hit the crossbar a few times while finishing second and third.
I was defeated on a couple of favourites in it, so to finally check that box was huge, and Our Duke was a fantastic winner on the day.
1990 Irish Grand National – Desert Orchid #desertorchid
pic.twitter.com/TBAo76sENE— History of Horse Racing (@roar1968) April 17, 2022
What role has BoyleSports had in the Irish Grand National’s sponsorship?
BoyleSports is likely to be credited for preserving the Grand National, thanks to a significant increase in prize money. It’s now a half-million euro race, which is incredible.
Our Duke’s victory was the first time the race was worth half a million euros, and it’s returned the game’s standard back to where it should be.
It was beginning to fall behind, with Cheltenham and Punchestown taking precedence, but BoyleSports sponsorship has returned the Irish National back to where it belongs, as you can tell by the ratings of the horses you’ll need to award it – it’s now a high-quality event.
What was it like having the fabled Desert Orchid visit?
Desert Orchid was the one; at the time, he was the people’s horse.
Everyone adored Desert Orchid; whenever he competed in a race, you tuned in to see him. Then to discover him as a child, being ridden by my hero, Richard Dunwoody, was a dream come true.
For a child, being able to walk down the street to Fairyhouse and see Desert Orchid run in the Irish Grand National was the stuff of fantasies.
How impressed were you with Sam Waley-victory Cohen’s in the Grand National at Aintree?
It was a wonderful achievement [Sam Waley-Grand Cohen’s National victory], and Sam’s record around Aintree over those jumps is incredible.
It was a tremendous result and a superb training effort by Emmett Mullins, who had previously finished second in the event on Oscar Time and had won other races over those fences.
BoyleSports is paying seven spots instead of four. Terms may be found at BoyleSports.com. Please bet responsibly if you are 18 or older.
🗣️ “We saw that a farmer from Tipperary had one a few pounds well in at number 59 on the list. I said to JP, ‘Fuck this, that little bastard isn’t getting a run’.”
Michael O’Leary and JP McManus declare 8 horses each for the Irish Grand National 👇 pic.twitter.com/HLYi1tqyeg
— Icy Nicky Henderson (@icyestretro) April 15, 2022