Irish Preview: GVA Ireland leads a three-strong Irish team in today's John Smith's Midlands Grand National as Francis Flood's horse tries to repeat his 2006 win in the Uttoxeter feature.
With last year's winning jockey Ruby Walsh on the topweight Ladalko, Mick Fitzgerald has been entrusted with the ride, although improving ground conditions may not be in GVA Ireland's favour.
The other Irish hopes are Arthur Moore's Jaquouille and Newbay Prop, who are both only a single pound wrong at the weights after Halcon Genelardais's withdrawal caused a rise.
Newbay Prop landed a major gamble at Fairyhouse in early December and looked to have a reasonable warm-up for this task with a run over hurdles behind Druids Castle at Punchestown last month.
Robbie Colgan takes a valuable 3lb off, and the Tony Martin factor will mean the bookmakers are unlikely to take chances with Newbay Prop.
Martin's main focus, however, is likely to be at Down Royal where his major Aintree Grand National hope Dun Doire looks to have an ideal opportunity to go to Liverpool on a winning note.
The former Cheltenham festival winner is clear of the likes of Another Rum on ratings for the conditions chase and will be more at home over fences than he has been in his last two starts over hurdles.
Christy Roche gives Fortmassini his second start over fences in the Beginners Chase, and the experience gained from a reasonable debut behind Mercuric at Thurles should stand the former triple hurdles winner in good stead.
Mono is 12lb higher in the ratings in the opportunity hurdle after winning at Downpatrick late last month, but Suzanne Cox's runner looked to have a lot more than that in hand.
Not many Grade One performers end up running at Wexford in March, but the conditions of the two-mile hurdle allow the 2003 Aintree Hurdle winner Sacundai to have his first race in almost two-and-a-half years.
Edward O'Grady's horse was a class performer at his best and, if he retains at least some of that ability, he will make his presence felt, although Savitha might be hard to beat.
Dermot Weld's Strath Gallant, a Curragh handicap winner last May, makes his jumping debut in the opener at Wexford, but the experience of Earmark from his last race at Fairyhouse could prove crucial.
Arbor Supreme, an expensive purchase by JP McManus after winning his bumper, has his second start over flights in the first at Limerick tomorrow and will have to step up on his Naas debut over a shorter trip.
A banker for many big players will come in the mares novice chase, where Laetitia makes her fencing debut after an eye-catching comeback run in the Red Mills Trial Hurdle at Gowran. The mares novice hurdle looks very competitive, but the four-year-old Moskova impressed when winning at the course and distance last time and gets a lot of weight from the likes of Chomba Womba and Blazing Sky.
