A 150th Boylesports Irish Grand National takes place at Fairyhouse on Easter Monday with up to 14,000 racegoers expected to throng Fairyhouse for the first time since 2019.
The venerable event had to be cancelled in 2020 and the Covid-19 pandemic also forced it behind closed doors a year ago.
This return to normal service takes place in an abnormal wider context with war in Europe and a growing cost of living crisis the landmark renewal underlines a sense of national history.
Having the name Pat Taaffe on board Battleoverydoyen - one of 11 Gordon Elliott runners - will be a particularly evocative reminder for many of the race's most successful jockey.
The 7lb claiming amateur’s legendary grandfather won the national half a dozen times including on the greatest of all, Arkle in 1964. Taaffe’s father, Tom, also rode the 1987 winner.
Another Elliott outsider, Fakir D’alene, will be ridden by another amateur with a famous surname, Harry Swan, son of the renowned former champion jockey, Charlie Swan, who won the national on Ebony Jane in 1993.
Jonjo O’Neill never won it as a rider but did as a trainer with Shutthefrontdoor in 2014.
He supplies the sole cross-channel based rider in Time To Get Up, one of eight JP McManus-owned hopefuls. There have eight British trained winners since 1985.
Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary also has eight chances to secure a fifth Irish national.
Blackmore
By contrast, the game's most high-profile 'name' of the moment, Rachael Blackmore, will try to break her duck at a fifth attempt.
Third on Abolitionist in 2017, she teams up with Henry De Bromhead’s Full Time Score, one of the most inexperienced among the 30-strong field.
Yet again it amounts to a lot of ingredients for the richest prize of the national hunt season in Ireland.
It is a race that has supplied more than its fair share of ‘underdog’ stories over the years and Max Flamingo, one of a handful of horses trained by sheep farmer Francis Casey, will be a popular choice.
Ronald Pump, who once changed hands for a thousand Euro, would be another popular winner of the €500,000 feature.
For most people having a bet however any romantic back-story is largely irrelevant so long as their investment pays off.
The JP McManus team is chasing a fourth Irish national and there could be some synchronicity if one of their hopes, Early Doors, emerges on top for Joseph O’Brien.
Having the old race won by the youngest trainer would be a neat fit and also give O’Brien more bragging rights over his father, Aidan, in another big handicap.
Son has twice beaten father in the Melbourne Cup and the Irish National is one jumps race that eluded Aidan O’Brien before switching his focus to the flat in the mid-1990’s.
At just 28 O’Brien Jnr has indicated he is preparing to wind down his jumping interests having already secured some notable victories.
They include the 2020 Galway Plate when Early Doors broke his duck over fences in the prestigious prize at Ballybrit.
He was out of action after that memorable victory until New Year’s Eve when reappearing over hurdles. Another effort over flights was followed by a return to fences in last month’s Webster Cup at Navan.
Early Doors didn’t threaten Sizing Pottsie and Master McShee at the finish but wasn’t beaten that far over an inadequate two-mile trip.
He lines up at 5.00 on Monday with an official rating of 148, just 9lbs higher than when winning the Plate and is ridden by O’Brien’s cousin, JJ Slevin, a National winner on General Principle in 2018.
Drier ground conditions could suit Mister Fogpatches who dons first-time cheekpieces under Danny Mullins.
A proven stayer, Pat Fahy’s runner has been placed in a Scottish National but must bounce back from a disappointing effort in the Kim Muir at Cheltenham.
Gaillard Du Mesnil is one of two Grade 1 winners saddled by Willie Mullins and comes here on the back of a third at Cheltenham in the big three mile novice event.
A mark of 154 could wind up looking generous if he repeats that effort although Early Doors could ultimately wind up provoking a late night for the O’Brien team.
