Groody is National favourite
LAST year’s Ladbrokes Irish Grand National winner, Organi sedconfusion, was yesterday installed as 10- 1 co - s econd favourite by the sponsors for this year’s race at Fairyhouse on Monday week.
However, the seven-yearold is not certain to take his chance i n the € 250,000 contest.
After the publication of the weights yesterday, the gelding’s trainer Arthur Moore said: ‘He has been given 11st 4lb this year as against 10st 2lb 12 months ago. So at the moment, I am leaning more towards the Grand National at Aintree where he would carry 10st 8lb.
‘However, my other entry, Lastoftheleaders [10st 13lb] is an intended runner.’
Cross Appeal, the winner of the Paddy Power Chase at Leopardstown at Christmas, is set to head up a possible four-strong Noel Meade challenge for the National after being allotted 10st 7lb.
‘I’m happy enough with his weight,’ said Meade. ‘We put him by for the Ladbrokes Irish Grand National after he won the Paddy Power. I couldn’t be happier with him. I have three other horses entered, Medical Card [10st 8lb], who would need a cut in the ground, Fisher Bridge [10st 4lb] and Another Palm [9st 10lb]. We will have to wait and see how many of them make the cut.’
The Christy Roche-trained Groody Hill, winner of this season’s Troytown Chase, has been installed the 8-1 favourite and is virtually certain to get in after being given 10st 9lb by National Hunt handicapper Noel O’brien.
Noting the competitive nature of this year’s race, O’brien said: ‘It is a very compressed handicap this year. Remarkably, 65 of the 69 entered, from Seabass at the top with 11st 10lb to Another Palm, On The Fringe and Smoking Aces who all have 9st 10lb, are within the handicap proper.’
Meanwhile, this afternoon’s Leopardstown meeting — formerly held on a Sunday — will provide a further opporunity for punters to monitor form, on foot of the opening meeting of the Flat season, at the Curragh on Sunday.
Betting at this early stage of the new campaign is even more hazardous than it usu- ally is. But I won’t be surprised if Jim Bolger’s Light Heavy goes close in the conditions race.
Bolger, who took the opener at the Curragh with Dawn Approch, appears to have his squad well forward. And Light Heavy, a son of Teofilo, is open to improvement after his narrow debut defeat to Frontier at Navan l ast season.
Bolger’s Glor Na Mara appeals as an each-way bet in the 10-furlong handicap for four-year-olds and upwards. The son of Leroidesanimaux, a creditable third over six furlongs at the Curragh on Sunday, may enjoy stepping up in trip here; the colt wasn’t stopping at the finish of a mile maiden at Dundalk in November, when he ran out a very easy winner.
Dermot Weld, who struck with Croisultan on Sunday, may follow up this afternoon with Olfa, who may appreciate the fast ground in the seven-furlong handicap.
HEREFORD