Date: Monday 21st April 2025
The Irish Grand National continues to reward a very specific type of runner, with the trends strongly favouring younger, progressive chasers rather than exposed stayers.
Horses aged 6-8, carrying 11-4 or less and sitting outside the very top of the handicap have dominated in recent renewals. Experience is important, but too much of it can be a negative in a race that often goes to improving profiles.
Using the Turf Talk approach, these are the three that come out best on the ratings.
TURF TALK RATINGS - LEADING CONTENDERS
| Horse | Turf Talk Rating |
|---|---|
| Haiti Couleurs | 226 |
| Quai De Bourbon | 219 |
| Any Second Now | 212 |
| Minella Cocooner | 205 |
| Stumptown | 198 |
The ratings once again favour runners lower in the weights with scope for improvement, rather than exposed horses at the top of the handicap.
MAIN SELECTION
Haiti Couleurs (8/1 available)
A strong fit on the key trends and exactly the type that tends to land this race.
He sits perfectly in the ideal age and weight bracket and comes into this with the look of a horse still improving. In a race where progression is often more important than proven class, he makes plenty of appeal.
BACKUP SELECTION 1
Quai De Bourbon (10/1 available)
A progressive runner who ticks a lot of the right boxes for this contest.
He has enough experience to cope with the demands of the race without looking exposed, and his profile suggests there could still be more to come at this sort of trip.
BACKUP SELECTION 2
Stumptown (14/1 available)
A slightly bigger price but one that fits the trends surprisingly well.
He is lightly weighted and has the type of profile that can improve past more exposed rivals. In a race like this, those are exactly the types that can outrun their odds.
SUMMARY
Haiti Couleurs gets the vote as the strongest trends selection, with Quai De Bourbon the main danger and Stumptown a value alternative.
