One of the most exciting weeks of the entire season kicks off with the Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse on Easter Monday.
The bookmakers will be bracing themselves for the biggest betting week of the year and they will be fearing a huge payout on AP McCoy’s mounts in the Irish and English Nationals.
The money is already arriving for McCoy and Shutthefrontdoor at Aintree, but he also looks to have a fantastic chance on Cantlow and Paul Webber’s horse has been well backed all week.
It’s hard to see why he has been well supported on the basis of his form and it has been a long time since he ran up to the standard he set in 2013, but he has dropped down the ratings and he must be in good form if McCoy takes the ride.
It wouldn’t be the first time a horse has bounced back to form in the Irish National but LOS AMIGOS is already on a roll and he can continue his good form at Fairyhouse.
Jim Dreaper’s eight-year-old returns to the course having won in January and the second season chaser looks to tick plenty of boxes going into the famous handicap.
The selection delivered a power packed display to beat Grand Gesture in a beginners chase at Fairyhouse last season and returned from nine months off the track to get the better of Lion Na Bearnai in a 2m6f handicap.
Los Amigos was tough and professional there and it looked to be a fantastic trial for the National. Sat close to the pace all the way, Andrew Lynch coaxed him to the lead coming to the last and he won well.
There looks to be a lot more to come from Dreaper’s stable flagbearer and he will be having only his seventeenth career start on Monday. Connections reach for the cheekpieces for the first time and the uncomplicated chaser will be tough to beat if he stays the mammoth 3m5f trip.
Selection:
