The Irish Grand National is the biggest horse race in the Irish calendar and typically takes place annually on Easter Monday at the Fairyhouse track in County Meath.
This is the Irish equivalent of the iconic Grand National in the UK, contested over a distance of three miles and five furlongs and features 24 incredibly challenging fences.
This handicap race is incredibly competitive and widely bet on, and it’s the showpiece event in the three-day Fairyhouse Easter festival. But when exactly will the 2024 iteration be contested, and who are the most likely winners to consider if you’re looking to bet on horse racing?
When is the 2024 Irish Grand National?
The Irish Grand National was inaugurated back in 1870, and 2024 will see the 152nd renewal of this race. This race was not contested in 1941 and 2020 due to the impact of the Second World War and the coronavirus pandemic.
This year, the three-day Fairyhouse Easter festival will run between Saturday, 30th March and Monday, 1st April. The Irish Grand National will take place on April 1st, with the prize fund again exceeding €500,000.
As usual, this race will be open to runners aged five years and older. The Irish Grand National is also a handicap race, so weights will be ascribed to each runner based on their perceived pedigree, age and past performances.
The Irish Grand National – A Brief History
The first-ever Irish Grand National was contested in 1870 and won by a horse called Sir Robert Peel. This race took place at the current Fairyhouse venue, while the prize money totalled 167 sovereigns.
Early in the National’s history, the race was usually won by horses trained at the Curragh, with ten such victors having been produced by 1882. This trend became less prominent as the race began to draw runners and riders from further afield, while racegoers also began to flock from different parts of Ireland and the UK.
Since 1991, the distance of the Irish Grand National has been increased. It’s now run over three miles and five furlongs, having previously seen runners compete over three miles and four furlongs.
Several winners have also claimed a coveted ‘double’ by winning the English Grand National at Aintree in the same year. The first horse to achieve this was ‘Ascetic’s Silver’ in 1906, while ‘Rhyme ‘n’ Reason’, ‘Bobbyjo’ and ‘Numbersixvalverde’ have completed the double more recently.
The most successful runner in the event’s history is ‘Brown Lad’, who won a total of three iterations during the 1970s.
Who are the Key Contenders in 2024?
talkSPORT BET has yet to publish its odds ahead of the 2024 Irish Grand National, but several contenders are already expected to challenge for the win this year.
Some of these runners have considerable history at the Fairyhouse Racecourse and are likely to be among the favourites when the ante-post odds are published. These include:
#1. I Am Maximus
Willie Mullins’ eight-year-old runner ‘I Am Maximus’ will look to win successive Irish Grand Nationals in April, having triumphed in the 2023 race.
Here, the gelding defied his novice status and a starting price of 8/1 to beat Gevrey by a single length, powering home down the final straight despite an inconsistent start and significant mistake at the 12th fence.
This win highlighted his immense staying power, and he followed this triumph up with another win at Fairyhouse in the Grade 1 Racing Drinmore Novice Chase on December 3rd.
This was his last race as a novice, and he has since placed in the top four in the Savills Chase and Irish Gold Cup Chase (which are also G1 events and were both won by his peerless stablemate ‘Galopin Des Champs’). He may also compete for the Grand National double in 2024 while aiming to become the first horse since 1976 to win consecutive Irish titles.
#2. Gaillard Du Mesnil
Willie Mullins’ French runner Gaillard Du Mesnil is also expected to run at Fairyhouse, meaning this eight-year-old gelding will be among the ante-post favourites ahead of the 2024 Irish National.
Certainly, Gaillard Du Mesnil performed superbly in the Randox Grand National in April 2023, placing third and seven lengths behind Corach Rambler despite a prohibitive starting price of 10/1.
He lasted the course superbly at Aintree and, despite jumping left on occasions and spending time in the rear, powered through the midfield when two out and finished strongly down the home straight.
He then took a break after the National before placing second in the Betfair Exchange Graduation Chase at Haydock on his return in November. This Class 2 race was a good test of his credentials ahead of the spring, although he was outpaced four fences from home and stumbled at the second-to-last hurdle.
He’ll certainly fancy his chances at Fairyhouse, especially having placed third in the 2022 Irish Grand National when still a novice.
#3. Limerick Lace
Limerick Lace is another runner who’s expected to perform well in the 2024 Irish Grand National, with this seven-year-old mare having placed in the top three in eight of the nine steeplechases she’s contested during her career.
Until last spring, this Gavin Cromwell-trained runner was competing as a novice, and she placed third in the BoyleSports Mares Novice Chase at Fairyhouse on April 8th, 2023. Although she finished 23 lengths behind the winner Instit, she was prominent in the chasing group and forced to recover after a bad mistake at the 10th.
Since then, she has recorded two impressive wins at Clonmel and Doncaster, a Class 1 race contested over two miles and 4 ½ furlongs. These wins also sandwiched a respectable second-place finish in the Racing Troytown Handicap at Navan on November 19th, where, once again, Limerick Lace survived a mistake and stayed on the right until the end.
Undoubtedly, this mare is a consistent and durable performer who should stay the course at Fairyhouse (even in such a high-quality company). Sure, she’s prone to make mistakes, but Limerick Lace at least offers value as an each-way bet for those looking at future horse racing markets.
One thing is for sure: the 2024 Irish Grand National is likely to be a close and keenly contested race. Whoever you back to win, however, it’s important that you bet responsibly and only ever commit to the amount you can afford to lose. You can also use talkSPORT BET’s range of responsible gambling tools to help set deposit limits.
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