Wargrior top weight for meade

The Noel Meade-trained Wounded Warrior has been left with top-weight for the €275,000 BoyleSports Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse on Easter Monday, the most valuable race of the 2014/15 Irish National Hunt season.

Tony McCoy, who will be riding for the final time in Ireland at the Fairyhouse Easter Festival, will have the choice of a number of JP McManus-owned contenders including If In Doubt, trained by Philip Hobbs and the Paul Webber-trained Cantlow.

Gallant Oscar, trained by Tony Martin and Grand Jesture, trained by
Henry de Bromhead, have been to the fore in the BoyleSports ante-post betting and both stand their ground as do other market leaders Empire Of Dirt,  Colm Murphy’s impressive Naas winner and Robert Tyner’s Embracing Change, the winner of his last four starts.

The Dermot McLoughlin-trained Vics Canvas, trained nearby in Ratoath, has been one of the gambles of the race in recent days and he stays in as does Los Amigos which is set to represent local trainer Jim Dreaper who has won the race on four previous occasions.

Champion trainer Willie Mullins has never won the BoyleSports Irish Grand National and both Perfect Gentleman and Dogora are still possible runners.

Peter Roe, General Manager of Fairyhouse Racecourse, said:

'We could not be happier with how everything is shaping up as the build-up to the BoyleSports Irish Grand National continues. The entry remains strong from both our own trainers and those from Britain and of course all eyes will be on Tony McCoy as he bids to close out a remarkable career with yet another big Irish race success.

'The weather forecast for the weekend looks really positive, which will add to the enjoyment of the huge number of racegoers we will be welcoming,' he added.