Grand National: Irish horses to dominate field for second year running

The steady evolution of the Grand National into a contest dominated by runners from Ireland seems certain to continue in April. As few as a quarter of the runners in the world’s most famous race may arrive at Aintree from British stables.

Ireland supplied a majority of the field for the first time last season, with 21 of the 40 starters and after Tuesday’s publication of the weights to be carried in this year’s race on 15 April, 41 of the top 60, and all but one of the top 10, are Irish-trained.

Martin Greenwood, the senior British Horseracing Authority handicapper who set the National weights for the fifth time, suggested this month that 31 home-trained horses among 85 entries for the race was “a continuation of the demise of the British National Hunt scene and it’s part of a general picture”.

That prompted the trainer Dan Skelton to suggest Greenwood’s remark was “offensive” and that “an official of British racing … shouldn’t be making comments like that”. While Greenwood stepped back a little from his damning assessment at an event in Liverpool to launch the Grand National buildup, he did not back down entirely.

“It was a passionate lament about the entries for the Grand National,” he said. “Demise was a strong word in hindsight and I probably shouldn’t have been so strong. I just want the English challenge to be as healthy as the Irish challenge and probably both sides of the Irish Sea would agree with that.”

Doncaster 1.15 Hurricane Bay 1.50 Drumconnor Lad 2.25 Paricolor 3.00 The Kings Writ 3.35 Love Is Golden 4.10 Can't Beat History 4.45 Inoui Machin

Newcastle 1.35 Forgetmenotblue 2.10 Mr Inspiration 2.45 Mujid (nap) 3.20 May Sonic 3.55 Fleurman 4.30 Design 5.05 JKR Cobbler

Ludlow 2.00 Effernock Fizz 2.35 Welsh