IRISH GRAND NATIONAL PREVIEW: TELENOR HAS a digital-age name but the soft-ground loving novice can propel the most traditionally evocative Fairyhouse name of all time to another success in today's Powers Whiskey Irish Grand National.
Ireland’s most famous steeplechase contains more than a fair share of famous links to the past with three sets of siblings riding today including Ruby and Katie Walsh, who both ride for Willie Mullins.
The champion trainer is represented by three runners in an attempt to win a race his father, Paddy, won four times. Previous winners back looking for more in this €250,000 Easter Monday highlight include the Tony McCoy- JP McManus team as well as Tony Martin, whose Saddlers Storm has dominated the ante-post betting.
And yet no name resounds through Irish National history like Dreaper. From the legendary Kilsallaghan yard less than 10 miles from Fairyhouse, Tom Dreaper won the race nine times including a mind-boggling seven-in-a-row (1960-66) that included Arkle, Fortria and Flyingbolt.
His son, Jim, carved his own special Fairyhouse niche with four more victories including three for Brown Lad (1975-76-78.) This time Jim Dreaper is back with a horse bred in Britain and whose name evokes pictures of Norwegian mobile phones rather than Scottish crags like Arkle. But in those respects that matter, Telenor looks to be cut from traditional cloth.
He is a novice in a race that can suit the younger generation and is already a dour stayer of a type that Tom Dreaper would have recognised and appreciated. With testing ground conditions likely to be emphasised even more by forecast overnight rain, Telenor’s fondness for soft going will be a major plus today.
What is a minus, however, is Dreaper’s own admission that he would like more evidence of his string’s form in general after allergy problems at Killsalaghan.
“We think we have isolated a reason why they were under-performing but we haven’t had a runner since then. I would rather some evidence that the horses are right,” he said.
Those problems look to have been a contributory factor to Notre Pere’s lack-lustre season but Pat Conway, who also owns Telenor, enjoyed a Grade Two victory with his younger star in the Flyingbolt at Navan in February when Telenor dead-heated with Uimhiraceathair.
Spread out behind the pair were Inistioge and Jadanli who have both won since and there didn’t look to be anything unhealthy about the way Telenor galloped out that day. Certainly if there is physical improvement to come on the back of that then Telenor will look even greater value at general 14 to 1 odds off a weight of 10st 10lb. Andrew Lynch won a Welsh National on Notre Pere and is in the form of his life after a Cheltenham double and overall Telenor looks to provide value compared to the market leaders.
Tony Martin is fearful of very heavy ground for Saddlers Storm and reported yesterday: “The trip will be no bother. We’d like better ground but I’m sure a lot of others would too. He is at the right end of the handicap.”
Considering some of his hurdling form, Alpha Ridge doesn’t look badly weighted either and he has tumbled down the betting over the last week and even Dessie Hughes, trainer of the topweight Siegemaster, doesn’t believe the 11st 7lb will be an insurmountable problem to his horse.
Cross-channel raiders have won three of the last six Nationals and last year’s winner, Bob Buckler, is back with Double Dizzy. Venetia Williams has two, however, and it looks significant that Aidan Coleman has plumped for Officier De Reserve, leaving Flintoff to his brother, Kevin.
Officier De Reserve spent some time on the sidelines after being carried out in the 2008 Troytwon and though he was never in contention in the William Hill at Cheltenham, he did stay on well.
Telenor’s best looks to be very firmly in front of him, though, and with the accent on stamina, it may be that the unexposed novice can return the name Dreaper to the Irish National winners list – 32 years after the last time.
1. TELENOR
2. Officier De Reserve
3. Saddlers Storm
4. Will Jamie Run