IRISH PREVIEW:IRISH INTEREST across channel switches today to Uttoxeter where Jessica Harrington's novice Badgerlaw will lead a three-strong team from this country into the £100,000 John Smith's Midlands Grand National.
Tony McCoy teams up with the Tommy Stack-trained Navan winner Dante Hall while the unlucky Paddy Chase runner-up, Sound Witness, represents the west Cork-based Robert Tyner.
However, Harrington's record in this race, having won with Miss Orchestra in 1998 and again with Intelligent in 2003, means Badgerlaw's chance will be respected, especially after a third to the high-class mare Pomme Tiepy at Navan on his last start.
Ruby Walsh will be on board the topweight Opera Mundi for Paul Nicholls but the champion jockey's focus will then switch to Limerick tomorrow where the black type action will include a Listed mares novice hurdle.
The four-year-old Dani California gets a stone from the toweight Nirphania and Walsh's mount looks to be on an upswing following a decisive 14-length victory at Downpatrick last time out.
That came on heavy ground and an ability to act on a testing surface will also be vital for the Grade Three mares novice chase where Walsh teams up with Candy Girl who again meets her Thurles conqueror It's A Ladys Deal.
However, heavy ground and two and three quarter miles around this track should be ideal for Callherwhatulike whose form includes a Grade One third to Notre Pere last Christmas.
Ground conditions at Navan are already so testing that the steeplechase races have been abandoned. That should be no problem to Edward O'Grady's Kasimali who won twice on desperate going at Limerick last Christmas and may still be on the upgrade.
Today's Limerick session features a mares bumper that ties in with a lot of the best form around at this level. Grancore Girl ran into Apt Approach on her debut and then won well at Clonmel but Sherchanceit's debut third to Cousin Vinny reads pretty impressively now after Thursday's festival result at Cheltenham.
There will be an 8.30am inspection at Navan tomorrow due to an unfavourable weather forecast. The course is currently raceable with the ground heavy, soft to heavy in places. There will also be a 7.30am inspection at Down Royal tomorrow ahead of its scheduled meeting on Monday.
