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Stacked Field Assembled for 2025 BoyleSports Irish Grand National
Star-studded entries promise thrilling Easter Monday showdown at Fairyhouse
The 2025 BoyleSports Irish Grand National is shaping up to be one of the most competitive in recent memory, with 86 high-class entries, including 11 from Britain, assembled for Ireland’s richest jumps race. Set to take place at Fairyhouse on Easter Monday, 21st April, this year’s renewal offers a €500,000 prize fund, with €270,000 to the winner, and boasts a tantalising mix of proven staying chasers, rising stars and Festival winners aiming to etch their name into racing folklore.
Festival Winners Lead the Charge
Among the headline names is Haiti Couleurs, the National Hunt Chase winner at Cheltenham, who has been confirmed by trainer Rebecca Curtis as an intended runner. With 10st on his back, Haiti Couleurs sits near the sweet spot of the handicap and could be shortened further as punters latch onto his proven stamina and class. Curtis was quick to earmark Fairyhouse as the next stop after Cheltenham, and the horse arrives in peak condition.
He’s not the only Festival hero heading to Fairyhouse. The Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase winner Stumptown(10st 8lb) is among Gavin Cromwell’s 11 entries, and is sure to draw support given the historical success of Cross Country victors in this race – Tiger Roll famously did the double in 2018.
Other Cheltenham scorers in the mix include:
- Daily Present (9st 10lb), Kim Muir winner for Paul Nolan
- Wonderwall (9st 9lb), successful in the St James’s Place Hunters’ Chase for Sam Curling
All three are unpenalised for their Festival wins, and history suggests such runners are well worth following at Fairyhouse.
A Stellar British Challenge
The last British-trained winner of the Irish Grand National was Shutthefrontdoor in 2014, and his trainer Jonjo O’Neill, now training in partnership with son AJ, is hoping to repeat that feat 11 years later. He’s entered Johnnywho (10st 5lb) and Hasthing (9st 5lb) in a bid to recapture past glory.
A strong British challenge also includes:
- Iroko (10st 11lb), a Grand National second-favourite and genuine Grade 1 chaser for Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero
- Resplendent Grey (9st 13lb), a progressive novice for Olly Murphy
- Henry’s Friend (10st 2lb), who could give Ben Pauling a first winner on Irish soil
The Big Guns Are Loaded
The top of the handicap is headed by last year’s Grand National winner I Am Maximus (11st 12lb), who also won this race in 2023. While he is more likely to defend his Aintree crown, his inclusion underlines the calibre of the entries.
Defending champion Intense Raffles (11st 1lb) is another major name in the mix. Trained by Tom Gibney, he won this contest last year off 145 and returns rated 156. Gibney also holds a live second string in Kinturk Kalanisi (9st 8lb), who looks a dark horse for the prize.
Cromwell’s All-Out Assault
Gavin Cromwell, fresh off his Cheltenham Gold Cup success with Inothewayurthinkin, is determined to break his duck in this race. Based just a stone’s throw from Fairyhouse, the local trainer has entered a whopping 11 horses, including:
- Perceval Legallois (10st 12lb), winner of the Paddy Power Chase
- Bioluminescence (10st 4lb), an exciting mare with untapped potential
- Velvet Elvis, Malina Girl, Yeah Man, and Final Orders, all seasoned handicappers
- Now Is The Hour, Mint Boy, Noble Birth, and Union Station, offering depth and variety
Cromwell’s strength in numbers could prove crucial as he attempts to land his first win in his local showpiece.
Mullins and Elliott Not to Be Overlooked
No conversation about a big Irish handicap is complete without Willie Mullins and Gordon Elliott, and both have entered strong teams.
🟣 Willie Mullins (22 entries)
Now a two-time winner of the race following Burrows Saint (2019) and I Am Maximus (2023), Mullins looks to dominate again with a team that includes:
- Impaire Et Passe (10st 12lb), the Grade 1-winning novice who skipped Cheltenham for spring targets
- Dancing City (10st 10lb), an eye-catcher with scope for further progress
- A host of others with varying experience and staying credentials
🟢 Gordon Elliott (13 entries)
Though he’s only won the race once — with General Principle in 2018 — Elliott is always a major player in these staying handicaps.
His key entries include:
- Better Days Ahead (10st 13lb), third in the Brown Advisory at Cheltenham
- The Goffer, Cool Survivor, and others with proven form in big-field staying contests
Veterans and Legends Return
No Irish National would be complete without a few familiar names:
- Lord Lariat (9st 11lb), who caused a 40/1 shock in 2022 for Dermot McLoughlin, is back and only 1lb higher than his winning mark
- Gentlemansgame (11st 5lb), a Gold Cup third for Mouse Morris, has been given an intriguing entry. Morris, who rode the 1977 winner and trained the 2008 and 2016 victors, clearly sees Fairyhouse as a possible route to more success
Looking Ahead to Easter Monday
With star performers, novice talent, festival form, and local heroes all lining up, the 2025 BoyleSports Irish Grand National promises to be a blockbuster event. The blend of seasoned campaigners and exciting new blood creates a race that is both wide-open and rich in narrative.
Whether it’s another Mullins masterclass, a Cromwell coup, or a cross-channel raider causing an upset, one thing’s for certain — this year’s renewal is not to be missed.
📅 Race Date: Monday, 21 April 2025
🏆 Prize Fund: €500,000
📍 Venue: Fairyhouse Racecourse
🕓 Distance: 3m 5f | 30 fences | Pure staying test
Let the countdown to Ireland’s greatest chase begin.
