Duke rules the Irish National

Robbie Power’s glorious spring got even better when he comfortably landed his first irish Grand National on Jessica Harrington-trained 9-2 favourite our Duke at Fairyhouse.

The 35-year-old jockey added the £230,000 first prize to a growing list of 2017 successes which include the Cheltenham Gold Cup on sizing John plus four wins at Aintree’s Grand National meeting.

Power will be hoping his purple patch has not ended yet. He is due to partner Harrington’s sizing John in the Punchestown Gold Cup a week tomorrow.

For our Duke, a clash with his stablemate looks likely to be on the agenda next season, with bookmakers quoting him at 14-1 for the 2018 Cheltenham Gold Cup.

our Duke will have to climb again but there is every reason to believe that is possible. yesterday’s 14-length defeat of bless The wings was only the seven-year- old’s fourth race over fences and ninth of his career.

our Duke, a Grade one novice chase winner, had been kept away from Cheltenham this season by Harrington as she targeted the irish National.

Power said: ‘This means so much, it’s my local racecourse. He is a hell of a good horse.’

runner-up for the second year running was bless The wings, the £85,000 he earned keeping Gordon elliott in the driving seat for the irish trainers’ championship.

BARRY GERAGHTY, who missed the Cheltenham Festival with lung and rib injuries, is now out of next week’s Punchestown Festival after he broke his left arm when Minella Foru fell in the irish National.