Speaking exclusively with BOYLE Sports , County Wexford trainer Paul Nolan has reflected on their Cheltenham 2026 Festival and surpassing expectations with Johnnywho and Wilful crossing the wining line but warns that changes must be made to the starting procedures in Jumps racing after the “farcical” scenes at the festival.

Ahead of the BOYLE Sports Irish Grand National on Monday, he also gave his assessment of the race describing it as "very special" and says he looks forward to bringing Monbeg Genius over.

Elsewhere, he discusses on his experiences at Fairyhouse , whether Monbeg Genius could be seen there and the challenges that course presents.

Cheltenham 2026

Cheltenham Recap

It was fantastic. Johnnywho was our first Festival winner on the joint license with Dad, which was very, very special. Richie McLernon rode him. He's obviously won the Ultima a few times before, so he knows exactly what he's doing in a race like that. Richie gave him a lovely ride, so that was a really big thrill for the yard.

We obviously had a slightly slower start to the season than we would have liked; the horses were just not quite well, but fortunately, they've come back really nicely now. That's a massive plus. So that was fantastic. Wilful rounded off an amazing day, obviously with Jonjo Jr on board, which was really special. We felt extremely lucky to get one and then to get two, which really just topped off the week.

Surpassing Expectations

You can never go to a place like Cheltenham expecting anything, but you just hope that you've got them in the best form that you can possibly get them in, which we felt we had the two of them in peak form and condition, which was great.

The team at home did an amazing job delivering them just perfect on the day. Johnnywho has threatened to land a big one at a couple of meetings, so it was great that he was able to put that record straight at Cheltenham . Wilful has just been a very progressive horse, really. He's had a very strong campaign and not really missed a beat. He’s been really straightforward all year, and he just keeps improving with every run. It’s great to see that we haven't hit a ceiling.

A Favourite Win?

I'm enjoying reliving both of them just as much as each other!

Improving Cheltenham’s Starts

We were lucky in that it didn't hinder us, which is great. Obviously, others weren't quite so fortunate. I think starting very competitive races like that, around the bend, is possibly something that they need to have a serious look at, really. They're so competitive, and the fields are large, which is great because it makes for really good racing. If horses are coming around a bend, the horses on the outside, they simply have to go quicker just to maintain that position. They can't but trot or canter to maintain that position when the others are walking at a normal or even slightly slower than normal pace.

So, that's something that seriously needs to be looked into. If they could iron that out, I think that would certainly be a very positive start, and it would be nice to see some good action behind it. And you can sort of build from there, really. Rome wasn't built in a day, but they did start.

Irish Grand National

Irish Grand National

It’s obviously a race that Dad's had success in previously. And of course, we wouldn’t mind making a bit more history this year! It’s a great race that we all enjoy watching every year. We had Johnnywho run in it last year, who finished fifth.

It was a really fantastic day, proper racing, very competitive, and they paraded some of the previous winners as well, and we got to see a few of them, which was really nice to see how well they're doing in retirement.

Monbeg Genius

He ran an absolute cracker in the Kim Muir this year and finished third, which we were delighted about. The ground was maybe a little bit on the quicker side than he would have liked. A little bit more cut ground would probably help. He goes with a nice run just under his belt. He's come out of his race really well as well. I look forward to travelling him over.

“A Very Special Race”

It is a very special race for sure, and we'll be doing our best to take both of them. We should thank BOYLE Sports , who are obviously a great sponsor. It’s a race that gets a lot of exposure, and you get to see a lot of all of the great things they do and what they have to offer as the sponsor.

They sponsor the best turned out with a prize of €1,000, which is incredible. That’s serious money. It all helps to make the spectacle that bit better and that bit more special, really. They obviously invest a lot in it. And it is so very important to have good sponsorships. I'm sure I saw a horse with its tail painted blue for BOYLE Sports last year in the race!

Fairyhouse

Did You Ride In Fairyhouse?

I didn't! I wouldn't be fit enough to stay the trip round now. It's a great few days of racing.

I suppose the two most prominent memories are of our winners. They might not be the earliest, but they're certainly the ones that would be the most set in stone. You try and remember the good days, some great celebrations, and it’s a very hard race to win. It’s a very competitive race, and the horses have to be at their best. The times when Dad had previous successes in it were definitely strong memories.

Monbeg Genius To Fairyhouse?

He jumps and stays. Once he gets into a nice rhythm, he is a good, strong stayer. Obviously, he's getting older as we all are. But he showed some really nice form at Cheltenham , and with the spring weather around, he seems to thrive a little bit more. It’s great to see him in good form, and the Irish National seemed like a nice target to try and make for him. Hopefully, it will prove to be a successful journey.

Fairyhouse Challenges

There doesn't seem to be much space to hide, and there don’t tend to be many hard-luck stories. The best horse on the day usually does deliver. In my very limited experience of riding around there, but watching it plenty, it seems to be a fair track. That's why you have to be at your best. It can be tough work around there. Hopefully, that will suit Monbeg nicely; he’ll get into his rhythm and get into a nice round of jumping, and we can progress from there. My brother will be riding.

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