BILLY NASH
Timeform
Delta Work has legitimate claims to the title of class horse of the race and proved his current wellbeing by spoiling Tiger Roll’s swansong at Cheltenham. A five-time Grade 1 winner over fences, Delta Work may not be quite the force of old but is an assured jumper who has long shaped as if well worth a try at this sort of trip.
BRIAN FLANAGAN
Irish Daily Star
Martin Brassil has a terrific Grand National record and his Longhouse Poet has the profile of a likely Aintree winner. He was hugely impressive in winning the Thyestes Chase in January - a race Brassil’s 2006 winner Numbersixvalverde also won.
He had a nice prep run at Navan over hurdles and looks progressive enough to defy a 9lbs rise in the weights. The forecast rain will help his chances and certainly has a life for former champion conditional rider Darragh O’Keeffe - who was unseated last year on Chris’s Dream.
DARAGH Ó CONCHÚIR
The Irish Field
Discorama is a fantastic each-way bet as an ultra-consistent staying chaser who finished seventh last year after fading late on. There are no question marks about stamina, however, having been touched off in the National Hunt Chase at Cheltenham on testing ground when that race was run over a full four miles. He went to Aintree lastyear after a long lay-off in 2021 whereas this year, he has had a good prep when second at Fairyhouse last month.
DECLAN O’DONOGHUE
Sunday World
Run Wild Fred is highly consistent, ground-versatile and was second in the BoyleSports Irish Grand National last year. He was a runaway winner of the Ladbrokes Troytown at Navan, finished second to Stattler in the National Hunt Chase at Cheltenham and looks sure to be in the mix.
GARY O’BRIEN
Racing TV
Longhouse Poet looks an ideal Grand National type and I think he can give Martin Brassil a second win in the race. He was placed in Grade 1 company over hurdles and his Thyestes victory at Gowran in January marked him down as a serious contender for this. There should also be plenty more to come after just six starts over fences.
MARK COSTELLO
The Irish Field
Snow Leopardess should give her supporters a great run for their money. Hopefully the grey mare will bowl along in front, as she did in the Becher Chase last December, and repel all challengers. If successful, her backstory (returned from two tendon injuries and has had a foal) would be good publicity for the sport.
MARK NUNAN
Press Association
Enjoy D’Allen hasn’t been out of the first three in all 10 starts over fences and connections have had this race in mind since his third in last year’s Irish National. In a light campaign this term, he’s had creditable runs over hurdles either side of a solid placed effort in the Paddy Power at Christmas and the eight-year-old gives all the indications that he can find more improvement over this marathon trip.
MICHAEL GRAHAM
Press Association
Discorama represents each-way value at a general 33/1. Paul Nolan’s charge finished seventh last year, but comes back for more after a wind operation and with the benefit of a good prep run at Fairyhouse in February this time. He handles the course and is entitled to get much closer.
VINCENT FINEGAN
irishracing.com
Trainer Martin Brassil knows what it takes to win the National having been successful in 2006 with Numbersixvalverde.
His runner this year, Longhouse Poet, fits a similar profile as a Thyestes Chase winner and gives every indication that this course and distance will play to his strengths.