Perhaps the happiest postscript to Saturday’s Randox Aintree Grand National came with confirmation that Saint Are emerged unscathed from the race.
The 2015 runner-up was having his fifth run in the National but was brought down at The Chair and had to be taken back to the racecourse stables for assessment afterwards.
However, Saint Are's trainer Tom George reported the following day: "He had a good comfortable night. He's eaten his breakfast and he's ready to come home. I just think he was a bit shaken. He's feeling good about it now and we're looking forward to getting him home."
Saint Are also finished third in last year’s National behind One For Arthur. His recovery means all the horses in Saturday’s big race were unscathed.
The backlog of fixtures due to the recent bad weather sees two meetings in Ireland on Monday including Leopardstown’s postponed Heritage Stakes card.
Ground conditions are sure to be gruelling and that could tip the feature verdict towards Onenightidreamed.
‘Fozzy’ Stack’s stalwart is a former Irish Lincoln winner and on heavy ground has shown enough class to land both a Gladness Stakes and an Amethyst Stakes.
As a seven year old he should strip sharper for his Lincoln effort last month behind On The Go Again and can get the better of other veterans, Brendan Brackan and Texas Rock.
The €675,000 Scriobh Nua makes her debut in the seven furlong fillies maiden but the benefit of Shareva's own debut start at Cork could be crucial.
The Elliott, Mullins and De Bromhead yards are all represented in the bumper at Tramore and Dorrells Pieji looks the one to be on. Mullins's runner was an impressive point-to-point winner over a year ago.
