Grand National Thursday Tips — Irish NH Tips

This mare may have dodged the Champion Hurdle in favour of the Mares at the Cheltenham Festival but on the back of a heavy fall at the Dublin Racing Festival, I felt it was the right decision for her. I appreciate I was in the minority there, but it was a confidence building exercise which she passed with flying colours. She takes on old rival Constitution Hill here who comes here in the back of a heavy fall himself and in the 2022/2023 season when he swept all before him, I felt his victory in this very race was the first sign of vulnerability starting to appear. I don’t think he’s a strong stayer and I firmly believe the mare has a great chance of turning him over.

She’s tough, hardy and a strong stayer at the trip. I think she will stalk Constitution Hill and challenge jumping the last before outbattling him up the run in and in some style too. She rates a strong bet.

We last saw this Jimmy Mangan inmate at Kempton over Christmas in the King George where he simply didn’t fire. I’m willing to put a line through that run and give him another chance here. His form at the end of last season was very good and he backed that up when he kicked off his season in open company by splitting Fact To File and Galopin Des Champs in the John Durkan at Punchestown at the end of November.

To say that form has been franked since would be an understatement. As well as the two aforementioned stars of the game he also had Fastorslow and the eventual Cheltenham Gold Cup winner, Inothewayurthinkin, behind him that day also. He jumps and travels well and this track should suit him. I’ve every confidence he’s got the talent to win this and the temperament to match. He should take a lot of beating.

This horse may be short on experience, but he ran an absolute stormer in the Hunters Chase at the Cheltenham Festival. He travelled like a winner for much of that race before eventually fading from the back of the last getting outstayed by a couple of tougher more experienced rivals. He jumped and travelled supremely well from the drop of the flag that day and creeped his way through the field like a horse who would be perfect for the test this race offers.

He’s an each way bet to nothing as a horse who is next to impossible to knock out of the frame. He’s still very much improving and hopefully that improvement see him into the winner’s enclosure here.

*Information correct at time of writing. 18+ only. GambleAware.