Intense Raffles: Profile, Record, Age & Best Races

Intense Raffles, the Irish Grand National hero from last April, looks set to be one of the market leaders for this season’s Aintree equivalent and will be hoping to give trainer Thomas Gibney what would be the biggest win of his fledgling career.

The seven-year-old enjoyed a nice preparation with his runner-up effort to Nick Rockett in the Bobbyjo Chase at Fairyhouse in February and, still unexposed with his stamina proven, looks one of the most interesting candidates in this season’s Randox Grand National.

Name: Intense Raffles

Age: 7

Weight: 10-10

Trainer: Thomas Gibney

Winnings: £335,802

Intense Raffles race stats

Runs	1st	2nd	3rd
15	6	3	1

Intense Raffles Age

Intense Raffles is a seven-year-old grey gelding and is French bred, having made his first nine starts across the channel for trainer Patrice Quinton before making the switch to Ireland in January 2024.

Intense Raffles Weight

Intense Raffles is set to carry 10-10 in this season’s Grand National, but he carried 11-4 when winning the Irish equivalent last April.

Intense Raffles Record

The grey gelding has won six of his 15 career starts, but his first seven races came in his native France. 

Intense Raffles switched allegiances to Gibney in Ireland in January 2024 and won his first three races, stepping up from two novice chase successes to land the Irish Grand National, beating the experienced Any Second Now by a length-and-a-half to defy a mark of 140.

This season has been all about building up to the Aintree extravaganza and Intense Raffles was well beaten in his first two runs, although they came over hurdles in a bid to protect a lenient handicap mark.

However, the seven-year-old showed he remains in rude health when runner-up to Nick Rockett in the Bobbyjo Chase at Fairyhouse in February and, if handling the better ground, there is plenty in his favour.

Intense Raffles Next Race

Intense Raffles’ next race is set to be the Randox Grand National on Saturday, 5th April, at 16:00.

Intense Raffles Owner and Cost

Intense Raffles is owned by Simon Munir & Isaac Souede and dons the famous Double Green silks that have also been famously worn by the likes of Bristol De Mai and Sceau Royal, while they also enjoyed a Cheltenham Festival winner this season in the shape of Albert Bartlett hero Jasmin De Vaux.

The grey son of Martaline was bred by his owners out of Munir's Grade 3 Fred Winter Handicap Hurdle winner Une Artiste and victory in the Grand National would be one of the biggest successes of their breeding operation.

Intense Raffles Trainer

Intense Raffles is trained by County Meath handler Thomas Gibney, who came to light with the success of Lion Na Bearnai, ridden by Andrew Thornton, in the Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse in 2012.

Intense Raffles is one of less than 30 horses currently residing at Gibney’s yard, so winning the Aintree showpiece would be a remarkable achievement.

Intense Raffles Official Rating

The seven-year-old, having had only six runs under rules in Ireland, has an official rating of 156 and, therefore, could have the potential of plenty more to come.

However, his latest run came after the weights for Aintree were revealed so he races off a mark of 151 and is officially 5Ib well in.

Intense Raffles Prize Money

Intense Raffles has racked up a total prize money figure of £335,802 in his career so far, with €270,000 of that total coming from last season’s Irish Grand National success.

Intense Raffles News

JJ Slevin, now retained rider for Munir & Souede following the retirement of Daryl Jacob, is set to partner the grey at Aintree and he is excited about the challenge ahead.

Speaking to the Racing Post, Slevin said: "It was a really pleasing run [in the Bobbyjo]. He jumped and travelled great."

He added: "I probably cost myself the race as I ended up riding it to suit Nick Rockett, but in the grand scheme of things hopefully he'll benefit from the run and he galloped out all the way to the line. He didn't have a gruelling run and I was really pleased with him in the main. I'm looking forward to Aintree and he's the best chance I've had of winning a Grand National."

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