2025 Irish Grand National Tips: Kevin Blake gives his 1-2-3-4 verdict for the Fairyhouse feature

• Irish Grand National the feature race on Easter Monday

• Cheltenham form to the fore over marathon trip

• Kevin Blake gives us his 1-2-3-4 predictions

Strong raiding party for Irish National

As it always does, the Irish Grand National (17:00) at Fairyhouse takes centre stage on Easter Monday.

Ever since the prize money was powered up to €500,000 in 2017, the race has been more competitive and higher quality than ever. Of the seven renewals since then, four of them have been won by unexposed novice chasers and that is a profile that has warrants a great amount of respect.

Interestingly, despite the huge pot, British raiders have been light in number in recent years, but there is a strong raiding party this year that will look to gain the first British win in the race since Shutthefrontdoor in 2014.

In terms of how the race is likely to pan out, with the likes of Sa Majeste, Bushmans Pass, Panda Boy and Noble Birth having made the running in recent starts, the pace promises to be solid.

National Hunt Chase 1-2 clash again

Of the home team, the Gordon Elliott-trained Will Do is a very interesting contender. The eight-year-old has yet to win over fences, but he has been thrown in at the deep end in very competitive handicap chases, finishing second in the Grand National Trial at Punchestown and a fine third in the National Hunt Chase at the Cheltenham Festival.

Because of the differences between the British and Irish marks, he now finds himself 7lb better off with Haiti Couleurs, which reads well for his cause. Initially the second reserve after declarations, two non-runners (including one of his stable mates) has allowed him into the field. He looks to have a very solid chance.

Tom Gibney has already built a great association with the Irish Grand National and he looks to have another serious contender in Kinturk Kalanisi.

The seven-year-old shaped well in his first few starts over fences and he was in the process of running a very big race on his handicap chase debut in the Leinster National at Naas only to unseat his rider at the second-last fence. The handicapper left him alone after that and with this longer trip seeming likely to suit him, a big run would not surprise.

One of the main British contenders is the Rebecca Curtis-trained Haiti Couleurs and he brings Cheltenham Festival form to the table. Curtis did a fantastic job of laying him out for the first running of the National Hunt Chase as a handicap and he duly delivered on the day that mattered most, being prominent throughout and ultimately winning in great style by 4½ lengths.

In the scheme of things, a 6lb rise for that victory doesn't seem at all harsh. This course, distance and ground should all play to his strengths and with him just having had four runs over fences, he remains open to enough improvement to make him of serious interest in this highly-competitive contest. 

Johnny can make amends for Cheltenham reversal

Another British raider that brings Cheltenham Festival form to the table is the Jonjo & A J O'Neill-trained Johnnywho.

The eight-year-old was very strongly fancied for the Kim Muir Challenge Cup Amateur Jockeys' Handicap Chase and it looked to be a matter of how far he'd win by approaching the second-last fence. However, with nothing going well enough to carry him deeper into the race, Derek O'Connor ended up hitting the front before the second-last fence and having looked to get lonely in front, he made a mistake the final fence and got run down by Daily Present.

While the handicapper has had his say with a 6lb rise, that was just his fifth start over fences and with this even longer trip being likely to suit, he could well be up to defying that rise with another big performance.

Kevin Blake's 1-2-3-4

1 - Johnnywho

2 - Haiti Couleurs

3 - Will Do

4 - Kinturk Kalanisi

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