Novices Are The Stars In BoyleSports Irish Grand National

It was another cracking renewal of the BoyleSports Irish Grand National and Willie has finally won it, which he did so in style with the first three home.

National Novices
Burrows Saint is a horse I picked out a while ago as being a big fancy. This race always attracts some good novices. I was lucky enough to win it on Our Duke in 2017 and another good novice in Burrows Saint has come forward this year and looks to have plenty of potential.

He travelled like a winner all the way and stuck it out well in the end. It was only his fourth run over Irish fences so it was a great performance.

The novices seem to do well in the BoyleSports Irish Grand National

…as they’re a little less exposed than a lot of the other horses, they can come in under the radar and be a step ahead of the handicapper.

It was interesting after the race to hear Ruby say that he’d love to have a go of him in the Aintree Grand National next year and indeed the BoyleSports Irish Grand National has a good record of being a good trial for the English one.

Jessie’s a Winner
It was a great day for Jessie Harrington on Monday starting off with The Holy One winning the opener. He went a good gallop all the way and he toughed it out well and showed a battle in quality which he hadn’t done in the past.

Paddy Kennedy gave him a great ride. I thought he was going to be beaten jumping the last but to be fair he did it and it was great to see. Two miles on that ground is obviously ideal for him.

Jett was a revelation yesterday. I don’t know what it was; perhaps a small feeling that he was able to get things going his own way.

He’s a horse that has always had a lot of talent.

He’s a half-brother to Jezki and he has always shown us plenty at home but not always fulfilled it on the track but things just went his way yesterday. He got a soft lead in front and he was able to warm to his jumping. The further he went, the better he got. A good performance all round.