Trainer Martin Brassil is hopeful of completing a memorable week by winning both the Irish Grand National on Easter Monday and the English version of the race next Saturday.

Brassil is no stranger to success in the National, having previously trained Numbersixvalverde to victory at Aintree in 2006, and those close to him claim he is quietly confident of securing an unlikely double.

First up is Panda Boy who impressed in December’s Paddy Power Chase before falling last time out, and remains available at 14/1 for Monday’s Irish National at Fairyhouse.

Brassil’s Grand National 2023 hope is Longhouse Poet who can be backed at 20/1 to win at Aintree. While the likes of Corach Rambler, Gaillard Du Mesnil and Delta Work were stealing the headlines at the Cheltenham Festival in March, Longhouse Poet was quietly going about his business with a win of his own at Down Royal.

He was firmly in contention heading to the last in the Aintree marathon 12 months ago, before fading to finish sixth, and the belief is that he can return a year wiser to take home the big prize.

Trainer Gordon Elliott admits there would not be “any better way” for jockey Davy Russell to conclude his career than by riding in the Randox Grand National at Aintree on Saturday 15^th April.

The 43 year old, who recorded back-to-back Randox Grand National wins on the great Tiger Roll in 2018 and 2019, initially retired in December last before returning to the saddle less than four weeks later. He made his comeback in order to assist Elliott when stable jockey Jack Kennedy broke his leg.

Russell last rode at the Cheltenham Festival on March 17^th, when he gave up his ride on subsequent Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup third Conflated after feeling sore.

Speaking today at his Cullentra House Stables in County Meath, Elliott said: “Galvin is Davy’s (Russell) ride and he is there if he wants to ride him. He was sore after Cheltenham and is a busy man with his own business.

“Davy has been part of Cullentra since I started training and is coming to the end of his riding days but I wouldn’t want him to finish on the note he did at Cheltenham. He was very sore and made the right decision not to ride on at Cheltenham, that’s the man he is – he wasn’t going to do wrong by the horse or the owners. I’d like to give him a better send off than that and I don’t think there would be any better way to finish off than riding in the Grand National.

“If Jack Kennedy isn’t back in time there will be plenty of other rides for him at the meeting. I am not 100 per cent sure what he is going to do but I’d like to see him have one last hurrah. At the Dublin Racing Festival, up until he got his fall, he was riding like a lad in his 20s and for me and anyone that loves horseracing he deserves a better send off than he had at Cheltenham.”

Running through his Randox Grand National challengers in 2023, when he will be seeking a record-equalling fourth success, Elliott continued: “Delta Workwas third in the race last year. He got a little bit far back early but ran a very good race. He was a bit careful but he is in great form now and we couldn’t be happier with him. He is very, very well.

Delta Work

“With Galvin the drier the ground, the better chance he has. He will come on a lot from Cheltenham and is in good form. We are very, very happy with him.

“Fury Road will be stepping up to this trip for the first time. He is a Grade One horse and a classy horse. Nice ground will suit him and he is in very good form.

“Coko Beach ran well in the race last year and won a Grand National Trial at Punchestown.

“Escaria Ten travelled well but didn’t get home last year. This year the plan is to ride him a bit differently by just dropping him in and taking our time.

“Dunboyne gets in off 10st and is going to wear blinkers. He stays really, really well and if he gets into a rhythm and is not too far back early he could run very, very well.”

Silver Birch handed the then rookie trainer Elliott his first Grand National success back in 2007 while Tiger Roll went on to take the world’s greatest chase in 2018 and 2019. One more win would see Elliott equal the record of training four Grand National winners, which is currently shared by Ginger McCain and Fred Rimell.

Elliott said: “Silver Birch got my name out to people so they knew who I was. But after that I had to prove I could go and train winners. We trained a lot of mid-range winners in the north of England after that and that is what really got us going. That got a lot of owners on board to get us in a great position.

“The Grand National has been a special race to me and I have won it three times. Obviously, I would love to win it again. Hopefully, I have at least another 20 or 30 years of my training career left so hopefully it will happen at some stage.

“If I had to pick a horse to ride this year it would be Delta Work. I rode around Aintree a few times and broke my arm the last time I rode there on a horse called Sheltering for Edward O’Grady (in the 2003 Fox Hunters’ Chase), I didn’t have much luck there as a rider but I was just an ordinary amateur and enjoyed it. I like training a lot more.”

Gordon Elliott with Tiger Roll and Silver Birch

Speaking about his plans for other runners at the Randox Grand National Festival, Elliott said: “Conflated is going for the Bowl. He is in good form and ran very well in the Gold Cup. We are looking forward to running him.

“Gerri Colombe goes for the Mildmay Novices’ Chase. He’ll have an entry for Punchestown as well but we would be a bit nervous that the ground might have dried up a bit by then. Not that he needs softer ground, but I just think he is an awful lot more effective with a bit of dig.

“I think Found A Fifty will run in the Top Novices’ Hurdle. He is great form and hasn’t done much wrong this year. I think he is a good horse and will be really excited to go chasing with him next year.

“Sire Du Berlais and Teahupoo both go for the Liverpool Hurdle. Sire Du Berlais turns up once or twice a year and is the horse of a lifetime, we are very proud of him.

“Irish Point goes in the Mersey Novices’ Hurdle. He didn’t do much wrong last time and galloped all the way to the line.

“We have kept Absolute Notions fresh for the Sefton Novices’ Hurdle as long as the ground doesn’t go too soft. We could maybe run Landrake along with him. Landrake ran well the last day and three miles will suit him.

“Zanahiyr has come out of Cheltenham very well and goes for the Aintree Hurdle. He seems to be enjoying taking his time a little bit and we are looking forward to running him. He would have gone close last year when falling at the last.

“Jazzy Matty who won the Boodles at Cheltenham goes for Anniversary Novices Hurdle and is in very good form.”

Forest Of Dean and Harrovian provide John & Thady Gosden with a strong hand in the BetUK Easter Classic, the centrepiece of Europe’s most valuable all-weather card at Newcastle on Good Friday, April 7.

The Gosdens are chasing their first winner on Finals Day, with Easter Classic runners-up Dick Doughtywylie and Wissahickon among the stable’s 10 previous runners.

Forest Of Dean and Harrovian have clashed three times already this season, with Forest Of Dean posting a last-to-first victory in a Fast-Track Qualifier at Newcastle in January.

Harrovian finished ahead of his stable-mate in two meetings at Lingfield Park, taking third in the Listed BetUK Churchill Stakes and fourth in the G3 BetUK Winter Derby, a race Forest Of Dean captured in 2021.

Thady Gosden said: “Forest Of Dean and Harrovian are in good order. They both ran solid races last time out in the Winter Derby and that was a strong renewal of the race.

“They have been running through the winter to get them qualified for the race, given the fantastic prize money on offer, and they deserve to be there.

“They both have similar profiles and it is hard to split them on the form. I guess we will find out more on Friday.”

Harrovian’s jockey Robert Havlin said: “There is never much between Harrovian and Forest Of Dean, and my fella always runs his race.

“The track at Newcastle seemed to play to Forest Of Dean’s strengths when he won the qualifier, but then Harrovian has finished in front of him the two other times they’ve met this winter.

“The tactics in the Newcastle race probably played to Forest Of Dean’s strengths rather than Harrovian’s, so I might want to ride him a little bit differently. With six runners, it would be hard to say which one will finish in front of the other.”

The BetUK Easter Classic line-up also includes Irish challenger Freescape (David Marnane), who impressed when winning at Dundalk in December and has subsequently wintered in Dubai.

Base Note drops back down in trip for Simon & Ed Crisford following a progressive campaign over a mile and a half, while Andrew Balding’s Notre Belle Bette steps up in distance after his third in the Spreadex Lincoln Trial Handicap.

United Front, who was fifth last year behind Living Legend, lines up again for Mick Appleby after two good runs on dirt in Dubai.

Berkshire Shadow tops a talented field for the Spreadex All-Weather Mile Championships, with all the runners rated between 103 and 111. The 2021 G2 Coventry Stakes victor looked back on song for Andrew Balding when landing the Listed Spreadex Lady Wulfruna Stakes at Wolverhampton last month.

G3 winner Positive is on a three-timer for Clive Cox after wins at Wolverhampton and Kempton Park, while Joseph O’Brien’s San Andreas lines up again after going down by a nose to My Oberon last year.

Chichester, an impressive winner of a course and distance Fast-Track Qualifier in January, and Listed Tandridge Stakes third Lord Of The Lodge also run for Keith Dalgleish and Karl Burke respectively.

A deep field for the BetUK All-Weather Sprint Championships includes Listed Fast-Track Qualifier winners Annaf (Mick Appleby) and Summerghand (David O’Meara), with the latter aiming to emulate Alben Star as a dual winner of the six-furlong contest.

Vadream makes a quick reappearance for Charlie Fellowes after an impressive Listed success at Doncaster last weekend, while Diligent Harry (Clive Cox) aims to become the first horse to win two different championship races on Finals Day.

Irish challenger Harry’s Bar (Ado McGuinness) is another contender to note as he seeks his 15th all-weather victory, with Mums Tipple (Richard Hannon) also entering calculations following a handicap victory at Chelmsford last time out.

Manaafith (Roger Varian), who is a perfect six from six on the all-weather, and dual Listed winner Queen Aminatu (William Haggas) are the headline acts in the talkSPORT All-Weather Fillies’ & Mares’ Championships.

Listed winners Shouldvebeenaring (Richard Hannon) and Perdika (George Boughey) feature among 10 runners for the Talksport All-Weather 3 Year Old Championships alongside the unexposed trio of Shaquille(Julie Camacho), Desert Cop (Andrew Balding) and Hello Queen (Kevin Ryan).

John Ryan saddles The X O, who has impressed in two victories at Southwell this season before suffering interference on his latest start at Kempton Park.

Robert Havlin, who partners the colt for the first time, said: “I rode work on The X O on Tuesday and he gave me a nice feel. I watched some of his races back and, although last time was messy, his performances at Southwell were quite impressive. I think the straight track at Newcastle will play to his strengths and, even though he has a bit to find on ratings, connections are hoping for a big run.”

Nigel Twiston-Davies’ Earlofthecotswoldschases a repeat win in the BetUK All-Weather Marathon Championships, following his tenacious victory from the front 12 months ago.

Berkshire Rocco (Andrew Balding), who was just touched off in the 2020 G1 St Leger, will provide stiff opposition, while Fleurman (Olly Murphy), Barenboim (David O’Meara) and Nolton Cross (Hugo Palmer) have all shown progressive form this season.

Classic contenders go on trial in the opening talkSPORT Burradon Stakes, with last-time-out winners Arabian Storm, Flight Plan, Galeron and Obelix all entered in the QIPCO 2,000 Guineas.

Obelix, a son of Sea The Stars trained by John & Thady Gosden, makes his first appearance since bolting up by seven and a half lengths in a novice race over the course and distance in September.

Thady Gosden said: “Obelix won well over the course and distance at the backend of last year, although it was not the strongest novice. The Burradon is always a strong race but, in terms of ratings, he is right in there with the rest of them and this looks the right place to start him off.”

Monday’s Family Fun Day at Cork Racecourse will be a blitz of competitive action on the track and activity off the track.
The Easter Monday card at Mallow Racecourse features the Coolmore National Hunt Sires Capri Handicap Chase which may see recent Limerick winner All Those Years reappear for trainer Charles Byrnes, while the weights will be topped by Cork winner Take All for John Hanlon and the David O’Brien-trained Mix Tiara.
The Jack Tyner Memorial Hunters Chase has the potential to be one of the most competitive races of its kind this season.
A total of 17 entries were received for the 2m4f contest today with David Christie’s prolific winners Ferns Lock, Ultimate Optimist and the hat-trick seeking Bold Enough all given the option to make the journey down from County Fermanagh.
The Willie Mullins-trained Annamix is also in the potential line up alongside the Enda Bolger-trained Stand Up And Fight. Local trainer Eugene O’Sullivan won the race two years ago with Warriors Tale and he may attempt to win it again with another 12-year-old as recent Bandon and Ballynoe winner Dashing Perk is included. Russian Diamond for John Hanlon and Dinny Lacey for James Motherway are other notable entries having performed to a high level under rules previously.
The John Thomas McNamara Maiden Hunters Chase will see talented sorts like De Nordener for Enda Bolger and Dundaniel for Michael Kennedy bid to open their account on the racecourse.
In between the quality action on the track, younger racegoers can enjoy all the free entertainment available. A horse racing simulator will be on site to allow kids to experience what it is like to ride in a race, there will be an Art Attack Zone, DJ party, magician, puppet show, face painter and a henna tattoo artist as well as a petting zoo.
Tickets are €20 for Easter Monday with kids under 14 racing for free. Tickets can be purchased online to beat the queues on raceday and there are also some general admission discounts available at www.corkracecourse.ie.