Irish Grand National: Tips, predictions & odds for Fairyhouse

It's Irish Grand National day at Fairyhouse on Easter Monday and the Racing Post's Gary Savage looks to find the betting value in the big race and the rest of the day's card.

Gary Savage's tips

5.00 Fairyhouse - Yeah Man @ 7/1
5.00 Fairyhouse - Where's Frankie @ 16/1
2.05 Fairyhouse - D Art D Art @ SP
2.40 Fairyhouse - Karia Des Blaises @ 12/1

5.00 Fairyhouse - Yeah Man @ 7/1 and Where's Frankie @ 16/1

A smaller than usual field for the big Easter Monday race, with a real spread of abilities but it usually pays to focus on up-and-coming chasers for this slog and there's no reason to desert them on this heavy ground.

YEAH MAN was my first port of call, as his victory in the Grand National Trial at Haydock, off 7lb lower than today, is a standout piece of form in similarly attritional conditions.

The runner-up, My Silver Lining, is an improving stayer and boosted the form when third in the Midlands National off 4lb higher last time.

This race was nominated after his Haydock win, and with nine chase starts behind him he looks to have the perfect profile for this.

Nick Rockett is obviously a threat, with Mullins having kept him back from Cheltenham for this contest and his profile fits that of recent winners of this having been running in conditions/graded races until now.

I'm happy to leave him though at half the price of last year's winner I Am Maximus, who had proven himself at Cheltenham, and look for another at a bigger price.

There have been a host of horses placing, and winning, at big odds in recent years, with young, lightly-raced types in the majority.

Connections of WHERE'S FRANKIE were talking about running in the 0-140 that follows this race after his win at Leopardstown last time, and maybe running in the Irish National next year, but with the smaller field than usual he is able to run here instead and chase the €270,000 top prize instead of just €14,750 later on.

Soft ground is a prerequisite for the seven-year-old, and with his ratings rise meaning he gets into the handicap proper, this four-time course winner is entitled to go close.

Gary Savage's tips

Yeah Man 7/1 - 1pt each-way
Where's Frankie 16/1 - 1pt each-way

2.05 Fairyhouse - D Art D Art @ SP

A fiercely competitive novice handicap hurdle opens the card and with Mullins, Gordon Elliott, Henry De Bromhead and Gavin Cromwell all represented there could be some value in backing Thomas Cooper's five-year-old D ART D ART, who is surely better than a mark of 121.

Thought good enough to run in the Champion Bumper at Cheltenham last year, his debut hurdles season has been one of promise, but with a maiden hurdle success at Cork his only win to date.

He was sent off favourite for his two most recent starts on the back of that, making an error at a crucial stage at Down Royal before not staying over 2m4f at Gowran last time.

There was lots to like about the way he rallied in the Down Royal race, getting back up for second having been entitled to turn it in, while last time he travelled like the winner until inside the last quarter of a mile, when strong stayer Alpesh Amin swept by.

Both of those runs were on desperate ground so this stiff 2m should be an ideal fit and he can provide a nice winner for Cooper and Cheltenham Festival-winning jockey Aidan Kelly.

Gary Savage's tip

D Art D Art @ SP - 1pt win

2.40 - Karia Des Blaises @ 12/1

Fillies have a notably good record in this Grade 2 Juvenile Hurdle and although Miss Manzor is the obvious one to enhance that record I fancy KARIA DES BLAISES to improve enough to go close at a decent price.

Two winning females are complemented by a 33/1 second and an 18/1 third place from only five representatives in the last five years, a striking return that is worth heeding.

Willie Mullins' filly came in for some each-way support when the rain fell before the Boodles at Cheltenham, but the race hadn't really got started before she came down at the fourth flight.

Before that she had been beaten 2½-lengths by Miss Manzor, and ahead of Boodles third Ndaawi, over course and distance in January, form that entitles her to be right in the mix here.

She has only had three starts for Mullins so improvement can still be expected and she can run well at a hopefully decent price.

Karia Des Blaises @ 12/1 - 1pt each-way

Gary Savage's tips

5.00 Fairyhouse - Yeah Man @ 7/1
5.00 Fairyhouse - Where's Frankie @ 16/1
2.05 Fairyhouse - D Art D Art @ SP
2.40 Fairyhouse - Karia Des Blaises @ 12/1

This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.