It’s time to dream – here is my early crack at a big Fairyhouse-Aintree Grand National double
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It’s funny how the mind works, isn’t it?
Early on Monday evening, I was twisting my Flat head on for the first time in 2026 to have a crack at Saturday’s Lincoln for the Weekender when I was reminded of just how much I enjoy this time of year. But it wasn’t because of Flat racing.
It’s the Nationals that have always got my juices flowing, and there are three of them this year within the space of 13 days – and I can’t wait.
The Grand National is the big one, of course, and like many racing fans it provided my first taste of horseracing. This might sound a bit cliched, but the first race I can remember just happens to be Red Rum’s third win in 1977.
The history he was creating meant nothing to me at the time, but the National was a big family occasion back then, and my dad had told me and my two brothers that Red Rum would win and that we were sharing some of his bet – 10p each if I remember correctly.
He may also have done this in 1975 and 1976 as he was a bit of a Red Rum groupie by all accounts, but I have no recollection, probably because he didn’t win. I didn’t really know what 9-1 meant at the time, either, other than it suddenly translated into a lot more sweets. I’m sure any regular readers will not be surprised to know that if sweet-eating was a national sport, I’d take pretty high rank.
Red Rum winning his third Grand National at AintreeCredit: Getty
While my brothers slipped back to being normal kids on a Saturday afternoon, I spent mine every week sitting down the side of my father’s armchair watching him watching the racing, no doubt hoping for another sweetie windfall.
I was hooked, and the rest, as they say, is history.
Anyway, all this reminiscing on Monday led me to have a ‘quick’ peek at the Nationals which already have entries, those at Fairyhouse and Aintree. The next thing I knew, it was past midnight and I hadn’t called up the profile of a single Flat horse when I was supposed to be doing my day job.
It’s a good job I can’t sleep sometimes, as I finally realised I’d better crack on, filed my piece at about 7am and swiftly hit the sack for a couple of hours.
Bookmakers used to call the Lincoln/Grand National the spring double, but the Nationals are a much better fit for me, and if someone got their act together and made the Scottish one an early closer it would be the spring treble.
Anyway, I might as well share the fruits of my labour of love as I’ve picked out three for each and will be having nine small each-way doubles for a bit of fun (and before all the experts start moaning, yes, I know the place terms are rubbish at the moment, but it is just a bit of fun).
The Jukebox Kid
Rebecca Curtis won the Irish National for Britain last year and Ben Pauling might be able to do the same with The Jukebox Kid, who is a rapid improver and might be hard for the handicapper to get to grips with, even if he is 2lb higher in Ireland than in Britain.
Given the Irish tend to struggle in British handicap chases (other than the biggest one of all, of course), I’m not going to worry about that.
Reynoldstown Novices’ Chase winner The Jukebox Kid is early favourite for the Irish Grand NationalCredit: Edward Whitaker
The Jukebox Kid took his form to a new level on his last two outings at right-handed Ascot, and he’s 3-3 going that way round in chases and also won his point on a right-handed track.
The form of his handicap win could not have worked out any better as the runner-up won a £100,000 handicap back at the same course the next time, while he won the Reynoldstown.
The National Hunt Chase was swerved to wait for this, and The Jukebox Kid, a half-brother to Yeah Man, who won the 3m4½f Grand National Trial at Haydock on heavy ground two years ago, is likely to improve again for a marathon trip.
Brave Fortune
I’m a little bit worried about this one, although not because he’s currently only number 64 on the list and 10lb out of the handicap.
The weights are likely to rise the best part of a stone once all the Aintree contenders are taken out, and a mark of 133 would have been good enough to get in the weights and the race for the last couple of years, while the timing of this one, 15 days earlier than last year and five days before Aintree rather than 16 days after, makes it even more likely that he’ll get in.
Brave Fortune has a big shout assuming he makes the Irish National cutCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)
This issue is that Brave Fortune is also entered in the Topham, and he did run a big career best on his second start for Joseph O’Brien last time out.
However, the only race he was left in at the five-day stage at Cheltenham was the National Hunt Chase, and I don’t think there’s any doubt that he’s an out-and-out stayer in the making, having shown his best form before the stable switch over 3m1f.
He could well be ground-dependent, and won’t want it too deep, but the long-range forecast suggests it’s unlikely to be that bad.
Better Days Ahead
For a trainer who would dearly love to fend off Willie Mullins for the Irish trainers’ title, Gordon Elliott doesn’t have many high up in the betting for this massive prize, but Better Days Ahead has already been declared his yard’s number one hope for the race.
Better Days Ahead: trainer Gordon Elliott declared him his yard’s number one Fairyhouse contenderCredit: Caroline Norris (racingpost.com/photos)
The eight-year-old didn’t get home when sixth of 27 on bottomless ground last year, but he’d been campaigned like a Grade 1 horse all season and has had a more traditional prep for a big staying handicap this term, beginning over hurdles when second to stablemate Staffordshire Knot in the Boyne last month and then running second to James Du Berlais when badly in at the weights.
I expect him to do a fair bit better this year if the ground isn’t so testing.
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I Am Maximus
In the two years since the field was reduced to a maximum of just 34 runners only one horse has managed to finish in the first four while carrying less than 11st – and that was fourth-placed Iroko under 10st 11lb last year – and I have a feeling this short-term trend may endure.
With the fences these days little more than large fixed-brush hurdles, they all tend to plod around in one large group and then sprint for home – and it’s the class horses that come to the fore when that happens.
I Am Maximus has every chance of repeating his Aintree heroics of 2024 after finishing second last yearCredit: Michael Steele
I Am Maximus is obvious as he’s already been first and second, proved with his second in the Savills that he’s every bit as good as he was, and despite shouldering top weight again he’s better off at the weights with the winner, second and fourth.
Assuming he gets round, and there are very few fallers these days, I can’t see him being out of the frame.
Monty’s Star
I’ve always thought Monty’s Star was an ideal National candidate and I backed him ante-post for this last year only for him to head to Punchestown after his fourth in the Gold Cup at Cheltenham.
Monty’s Star: could be one of two Henry de Bromhead-trained runners at AintreeCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)
He’s shown enough on his last two outings in the Savills and Irish Gold Cup to suggests he retains all his ability and he’s finally going to get the stiff stamina test in a handicap that I think he’s always been crying out for.
That Gold Cup run two years ago was a cracker when you consider he nearly fell at the ninth and was badly hampered by a faller at the 15th, and the National has clearly been the plan all year this time around.
Stellar Story
Stellar Story is my one horse set to carry less than 11st on his back, but he’s only 3lb shy, like Iroko last year, and he’s clearly a classy horse.
The market went mad for last year’s (slightly unlucky) Aintree third Grangeclare West after he won the Bobbyjo at Fairyhouse last month, but I thought Stellar Story was the big eyecatcher in third.
Stellar Story (second from right) was an eyecatching third behind Grangeclare West in the Bobbyjo ChaseCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)
He may have been left behind by the winner and second-placed Gerri Colombe after the last, but he was one of the worst-treated horses at the weights, having to concede 8lb to all bar Lecky Watson (the worst treated but ran like it), and to be beaten only 14 and a half lengths was a fine effort, one which registered as a career best on RPRs over the furthest distance he has run and means he’s now higher in the ratings in Ireland than he is for the National.
When they line up at Aintree, Stellar Story, winner of the 2024 Albert Bartlett at Cheltenham, will be 21lb better off with both the winner and runner-up. He’s got to have a right chance if he stays.
Read more on the Grand National:
Grand National jockey bookings: what we know so far, the rides up for grabs and the dilemmas some are facing
‘He’s a class horse and will run a big race’ – Jimmy Mangan hoping to add a second Grand National success 23 years on from Monty’s Pass
Cheltenham Festival winner set to be another addition to JP McManus’s Grand National squad as O’Neills finalise Aintree and Fairyhouse plans
The elitist Grand National has lost the magic which made it so great – plus a 33-1 shot to follow for the 2,000 Guineas
The 14-1 British-trained horse everyone fancies in the Irish National and a Hexham double for Wednesday – David Jennings’ Fairyhouse Easter eggs
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