Los Amigos Favourite For Irish National

There`s a new favourite for this season`s Irish National at Fairyhouse with Jim Dreaper`s Los Amigos, to be ridden by Andrew Lynch, replacing Jonjo O`Neill`s Cantlow at the head of affairs. Cantlow is to be AP McCoy`s final ride in the Fairyhouse 3m, 5f spectacle.

Available as short as 9/1 though still up for grabs at 10/1 (Numerous), Los Amigos` key strength is his history of solid runs at this course, finishing runner-up in a big field handicap hurdle over 3m back in 2013 before taking home a beginners chase (21f) in the following season and another chase over 2m, 5f last time out. This latest performance proved to be very strong indeed, beating off a resurgent former Irish National winner in Lion Na Bearnai and Tom Taaffe`s short priced favourite Gold Bullet.

That has been this eight-year-old`s only outing this season and he has proved that he has come back from his 10 month break as strong as ever. Prior to his Fairyhouse triumph the Overbury-sired charge placed in the 2014 renewal of both the Grade A Goff Thyestes Handicap Chase at Gowran Park (25f) and a Naas Grade B handicap chase (3m).

Showing such ability over such distances in these top class races suggests that the charge is more than capable of staying the 3m, 5f trip necessary to claim the Irish National. Indeed if anyone can see an Irish National winner, it`s four-time winner Dreaper whose father was the race`s leading trainer, securing the top prize 10 times.

Jockey Lynch will be looking for his first success in the famous Fairyhouse precursor to next week`s Aintree Festival.

A jockey who is not unfamiliar with finishing first past the post in this race is retiring 19-time Champion Jockey AP McCoy who takes the ride on 11/1 (boylesports, paddy Power, Stan James, william hill) chance Cantlow in his last ever Irish National. His only win in the race came on Butler`s Cabin back in 2007.

The O`Neill 10-year-old will be looking to improve on his eighth placed finish last year, failing to put together a consistent enough run under Andrew McNamara before tailing off in the closing stages. Whilst he is a horse out of form, he is surely one who will benefit from the experience of McCoy.

Indeed Cantlow, who runs off a very nice weight of 10st 6lbs, has the credentials to be a very nice horse. He is from Kayf Tara, the father of such long distance chasers as Carruthers and The Package, and was once a 143 rated hurdler who placed in the 2012 renewal of the Cheltenham Festival`s Pertemps Final.

Whilst Cantlow needs to show an element of bouncebackability, he should sure have the class to see off this field should he bring his `A` game.

Gigginstown Stud offer up six of the field with, from the biggest to the smallest burden of weight, Rule The World (28/1 - Numerous), Thunder And Roses (28/1 - william hill), Rivage D`or (28/1 - Numerous), Band Of Blood (66/1 - Numerous), Empire Of Dirt (12/1 - Betvictor, paddy Power) and Rogue Angel (50/1 - Numerous) all being sent to post. Of these Gigginstown entrants, Rivage D`or should probably be given the most consideration coming off the back of his two length win in the Glenfarcas Cross Country Chase at the Cheltenham Festival. Such superb jumping over these tricky obstacles over a distance of 31f is more than ample preparation for this Fairyhouse challenge.

Elsewhere aforementioned former winner Lion Na Bearnai lines up at 40/1 (betway, Coral, ladbrokes, Stan James) and Phillip Hobbs` If In Doubt is available at 22/1 (Skybet, Stan James) after being assigned top weight.

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06/04/2015     © Frixo 2024