The Irish National is the highlight and feature race on a decent card of jumping action at Fairyhouse this Easter Monday. 28 runners go to post in the Irish National where past trends tells us to side with a young horse most likely a novice chaser who has won in the past over three miles. Gordon Elliott trains 10 of the field of 28 so on numbers alone has a massive chance to training the winner today.

Frontal Assault is one of many runners for the Gordon Elliott team. Jack Kennedy rides which is a positive and he looks a more natural jumper of a fence than Floueur who was tempting as that horse stays forever. Frontal Assault caught many a good judges eye when staying on strongly to claim second place over 2m5.5f behind Floueur here in January. The ground that day was good to yielding and I have no doubt that in another few strides Frontal Assault would have been in front. Gordon aimed him at the Kim Muir chase at the Cheltenham Festival and he just didn’t fire there on soft testing ground. The prize money for winning the Kim Muir chase is approximately 36k while the Irish National winner takes home 270k so go figure! Frontal Assault runs off a lower Irish mark of 139 today carrying 10-7 with novice chasers enjoying great success in this historic race.

Gordon Elliott has saved Farclas for this race not running him since he finished a gallant second to Run Wild Fred in the Troytown Chase at Navan last November. I am not concerned about the lack of a recent run as Gordon will have him fit and ready for sure. Farclas is a former Triumph hurdle winner and ran some cracking races over fences last season without winning. He bumped into some well handicapped horses such as The Shunter in the plate at the 2021 Cheltenham Festival. He stays well as he finished third in a Paddy Power handicap chase at Leopardstown over three miles and ran well for a long way in the Aintree Grand National last season won by Minella Times. Shane Fitzgerald is good value for his 5lb claim enjoying a great season so far with 39 winners.

The others in the reckoning were Mister Fogpatches and the mare Mount Ida who will enjoy reverting to a right handed course.

Fairyhouse – 5:00

0.5 point each way (£10ew) Frontal Assault 22/1 William Hill else 20/1 Boylesports, Skybet & Bet365, all paying 7 places.

0.5 point each way (£10ew) Farclas 11/1 Bet365 else 10/1 Boylesports, both 7 places.

Compare Odds at https://www.oddschecker.com/horse-racing/fairyhouse/17:00/winner