There have been notable BoyleSports Irish Grand National market movers as we get ever closer to Easter Monday and the most prestigious race in Ireland.
Any Second Now BoyleSports Irish Grand National Odds Slashed
Any Second Now has seen his odds slashed from 40/1 into 12/1 for the Irish Grand National with race sponsor BoyleSports.
The twelve-year-old, trained by Ted Walsh and owned by last year’s winning owner JP McManus, has placed twice in the Aintree Grand National and will be trying his hand in the Irish renewal for the second time on Easter Monday.
The gelding will bid to become the first twelve-year-old to win the race since Brown Lad in 1978, with Air Prince under a featherweight in 1956 the only other horse to complete the feat.
Willie Mullins’ Verdict on Irish National Favourite
Any Second Now will face an uphill task, however, with Willie Mullins seeking a third win in the race via market leader Nick Rockett.
Speaking to BoyleSports after weights were unveiled, the Closutton trainer earmarked the unexposed novice as one to watch:
“He’s a nice novice who does well around Fairyhouse, he could be one to keep an eye on. I love horses with form on a track, that old saying - horses for courses. He could have a bit of class.”
The six-year-old has seen plenty of money in the betting market, having hit a high of 8/1 when the weights were revealed. He is now the 4/1 clear favourite, with Intense Raffles, who hails from the 2012 winning yard of Tom Gibney, hot on his heels at 8/1.
Heavy Ground Expected For Easter Monday
The ground for the €500,000 feature race is ‘almost certain’ to be heavy according to Fairyhouse general manager Peter Roe and punters are starting to latch onto the mudlarks including Gavin Cromwell’s Grand National Trial winner Yeah Man. He has been backed into 10/1 from 16/1 as the rain continues to fall at the Meath venue and the stable remains in fine form, having sent out two winners from just eight runners at the Cheltenham Festival earlier this month.
Brian O’Keeffe, spokesperson for BoyleSports, said:
"Excitement is building ahead of the richest race on the Irish jumps calendar and there have been a number of big movers in the market, none more so than Any Second Now. It’s a race that is synonymous with wonderful stories and it would be great to see a veteran and real fan favourite come home in front for Ted Walsh and JP McManus.”
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