Local Trainer Dermot McLoughlin vying for Irish Grand National Hat-trick
Betting has opened for the 2023 BoyleSports Irish Grand National after the weights for the iconic race were revealed today (Tuesday 7th March) from the yard of last year’s winner, Dermot McLoughlin. The Meath man, who won the race twice with Lord Lariat last year and Freewheelin Dylan in 2021, is 20/1 to produce a hat-trick with Lord Lariat entered again alongside stablemates Captain CJ and The Echo Boy.
Easter Monday at Fairyhouse will mark the 151st running of the race, and with a lucrative prize pot totalling €500,000, it makes the BoyleSports Irish Grand National Ireland’s most valuable National Hunt race.
Martin Brassil’s Panda Boy, Willie Mullins‘ Gaillard Du Mesnil and Ain’t That A Shame trained by Henry de Bromhead, head the ante-post betting at joint 12/1 with BoyleSports, while Gordon Elliott‘s Fury Road (16/1), Galvin (20/1) and Mullins’ Stattler (20/1) are also towards the top of the weights. Of the six English trained entries in this year’s race, Dan Skelton‘s Ashdown Lad is 16/1, followed by top-weighted raider Royal Pagaile (25/1), Guetapan Collonges (25/1), Time to Get Up, Musical Slave (33/1) and Snow Leopardess (50/1).
The BoyleSports Irish Grand National has thrown up plenty of surprises over the years. In 2021 Freewheelin Dylan became the highest priced winner in the race’s history when it came in at odds of 150/1.
Sarah Kinsella, spokesperson for BoyleSports, said: “The late father of last year’s winning trainer, Dermot McLoughlin, won this race in 1962 on the Tom Dreaper trained Kerforo and if Dermot wins the BoyleSports Irish Grand National for a third consecutive year this Easter, he’ll join Tom’s son Jim Dreaper in the history books for completing three-in-a-row. Superstitious bettors will surely be thinking a hat-trick is written in the stars for McLoughlin.”
The BoyleSports Irish Grand National takes place on Easter Monday, 10th April. Click here for the latest ante-post betting.
