GROUND conditions at Fairyhouse will determine the size of the overseas challenge for the £100,000 Jameson Irish Grand National next Monday.
Though there were seven British-trained horses among the 27 acceptors for the race yesterday, Full Of Oats, Suny Bay and Tartan Tyrant will only take part granted a soft surface.
Suny Bay heads the ante-post markets, with both Corals and Hill offering Charlie Brooks' charge at 3 to 1 with a run. Paddy Power offer a straight 5 to 1.
Corals spokesman Rob Hartnett said: "It is a wide open race but if the ground does come up soft then Suny Bay's performance at Newbury merits him being favourite.
Henrietta Knight is hoping conditions are suitable for the 10-year-old Full of Oats, who has rattled up a hat-trick at Warwick this term. "He is very well and Jim Culloty has the ride but be is only a possible runner as it depends on the ground," the trainer said.
"He is a nice staying chaser in soft ground but he couldn't match the speed of horses like Jodami on faster.
"He is only in his second season over fences having come late to racing and we don't want to waste a run - if he doesn't go we will save him for next season when I think he will improve again."
The latest report from Fairyhouse will offer encouragement. A course spokeswoman said: "The going is currently good to yielding. The forecast is good for tomorrow but then there will be a little break in the weather on Thursday."
Britain's contingent is completed by Cool Dawn (trained by Robert Alner), Norman Conqueror (Tim Thomson Jones), Irish Stamp (Ferdy Murphy) and Jodami, who was confirmed a definite runner after pleasing Peter Beaumont in a gallop yesterday morning.
Mark Dwyer came down to ride him and he went very well. Mark was very pleased and I am quite happy," Beaumont said.
Jodami has suffered from a bacterial infection which affected all Beaumont's horses at some stage of the year and which left the trainer with insufficient time to get his stable star prepared for a tilt at the Tote Cheltenham Gold Cup.
"It's been a nightmare this season but it appears he's over it now, as are all of my horses. I am as confident as I ever am about him next Monday."
Jodami is set to carry 11st 12lb in the 29-furlong contest, with the weights rising 11b on the defection of Grand National winner Rough Quest who was taken out yesterday along with the Aintree runner-up Encore Un Peu.
Flashing Steel heads the weights, bidding to repeat last year's success under 12st for former Taoiseach Charles Haughey.
The home team also includes the Eugene O'Sullivan-trained Midlands Grand National winner Another Excuse and Son Of War, who unseated his rider at the 24th fence in the Martell Grand National.
Rust Never Sleeps, destroyed after breaking a shoulder at Aintree, has also been left in the race.
