The Irish racing contingent made a significant impact at the 2024 Cheltenham Festival, and their domination will likely carry over to the Aintree Grand National in April.
With a strong presence in the potential 2024 Grand National runners list, Irish trained horses make up the majority of the names at the head of the betting market.
The impressive Irish showing at Cheltenham has increased expectations of an Irish trained Grand National winner. Multiple Irish trainers, jockeys, and horses demonstrated their prowess throughout the four days of elite jumps action.
Willie Mullins once again showed why he’s regarded as one of the best National Hunt trainers on the planet, securing nine wins at this year’s festival. His impressive haul earned the top trainer title for the sixth year in a row. His runner, I Am Maximus, is among the favourites for the 2024 Grand National.
Henry De Bromhead and Gordon Elliott also shone at Cheltenham. Both Irishmen bagged victories in some of the week’s top contests.
De Bromhead’s collaboration with Rachael Blackmore, who made history as the first female jockey to win the Grand National in 2021, brings more hope for an Irish triumph at Aintree in 2024.
Elliott has won three Aintree Grand Nationals. His maiden Grand National triumph came in 2007, when big outsider Silver Birch claimed the year’s biggest jumps race. That result shows he can guide an unfancied horse to victory at Aintree, so backing one of his outsiders like Galvin or Chemical Energy in the 2024 Grand National could be wise.
The recent history of the Aintree Grand National further underscores the Irish threat, with horses trained in Ireland claiming victory in four of the last six editions of this prestigious Aintree race.
While the Irish contingent appears formidable, they will face intense competition from Corach Rambler and Scottish trainer Lucinda Russell. The reigning Grand National champion has been the bookmaker’s favourite for months, and his impressive Cheltenham result has solidified him in that position.
