Fairyhouse manager had a dream
Seventeen years on from watching the six-part TV documentary 'Turf Wars' that focused on Commonstown stables in Kildare, I got the chance to visit the place.
Sometimes this sportswriting gig has the odd perk or two and, if you have an interest in horseracing, an invite for the traditional unveiling of the Irish Grand National weights at the yard of the previous year's winner just has to be accepted.
Commonstown is the home of the famous horseracing dynasty that Jessica Harrington has created beside the tiny village of Moone and she hosted the media as Fairyhouse rolled out the red carpet for their showpiece event of the year.
Fairyhouse manager Peter Roe told a good tale that he might get some mileage out of - it wasn't a Martin Luther King moment although Peter Roe did say "I had a dream" - and we all listened attentively
"Our Duke wins the Cheltenham Gold Cup and 16 days later he wins the National at Fairyhosue, he came back so well from Cheltenham Jessie couldn't resist running him," - now you can make what you want out of that. Our Duke is the top weight for the showpiece event at the Easter Festival.
THE DREAM
Back to that TV documentary from around 2001 - it was Turf Wars in Ireland and on the BBC it was branded Saddle Soap as far as I can recall - a TV crew spent six months filming at the Commonstown stables run by trainer Jessica Harrington. It was a must-see on a Sunday night.
Fast-forward to February 2018 and at Commonstown this morning the members of the media were dealt with efficiently by all at the Harrington yard where the woman herself was in demand for interviews as was Grand National-winning jockey Robbie Power who partnered Our Duke to that memorable win at Fairyhouse in 2017.
The €500,000 Boylesports Irish Grand National - as Leon Blanche (the top man in Boylesports - just in case you didn't know) told us all at every available opportunity as he even held the reins of Our Duke at one stage while the snappers went to work.
And like everyone and everything at Commonstown, Our Duke was well behaved and created a good impression - but his focus will be very much on the Cheltenham Gold Cup on Friday 16th March although he has top weight in the Irish National a fortnight later on Monday 2nd April.
While today was all about the Irish Grand National, the Cheltenham Festival is only a fortnight away and was also discussed.
Robbie Power - the Meath sportsperson of the year - told the Meath Chronicle that he was always going to stay with Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Sizing John for this year's Cheltenham Festival although he won on Our Duke at the weekend.
"Our Duke was very impressive winning on Saturday where he had to give seven pounds to Presenting Percy, I don't think he's back to his best yet, but it was the best he's felt since Fairyhouse last year and I think he will improve.
"Jessie couldn't have got a better man than Noel Fehily for Our Duke - he's a top-class jockey," he added.
Thirty runners will go to post for the Irish Grand National and it will be a waiting game for many trainers and owners until after Cheltenham when the picture will become clearer as to what will and what won't run - there are 97 entries.