OUR IRISH FAVOURITE
OUR DUKE is odds-on to go off favourite for Monday’s BoyleSports Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse.
Jessica Harrington’s seven-year-old is the 6-1 market leader for Ireland’s Easter feature, two points clear of the next in the betting, Mall Dini, on 8-1. It is 11-1 bar the two.
Our Duke will be one of only a few in the line-up that has won a Grade One chase. That was at Leopardstown after Christmas when he took the Neville Hotels Chase at Leopardstown.
Revenge
He was all out to beat Coney Island Island and Disko that day and the third gained his revenge over two miles, six in another Grade One at the same track in February.
Gordon Elliott trains six of the eight at the top of the weights.
Five are owned by Gigginstown House Stud – Lord Scoundrel, Clarcam, Roi Des Francs, The Game Changer and Tell Us More – while Noble Endeavor is owned by Chris Jones, a long-term supporter of the Elliott stable.
Willie Mullins, who has yet to win the race, could saddle Sambremont, Arbre De Vie, Haymount and Polidamin.
The English challenge is likely to made up of Harry Fry’s Fletchers Flyer and three J P McManus owns: Mystical Knight, Shutthefrontdoor and Another Hero.
Hills bet: 6 Our Duke, 8 Mall Dini, 11 Fletchers Flyer, 12 The Crafty Butcher, Road To Respect, Noble Endeavor, 14 Abolitionist, Bless The Wings, Minella Foru, 16 others.
The highlight of Lingfield’s £1m All-Weather Championships tomorrow is the Middle Distance Final.
Ryan Moore rides the 2-1 favourite Convey but will not have an easy time of it against Grendisar and Metropol who were first and third respectively in the race 12 months ago.
Hills bet: 2 Convey, 7-2 Absolute Blast, 11-2 Battalion, 13-2 Grendisar, 12 Third Time Lucky, 16 Metropol, 25 others.