The 2025 Cheltenham Festival followed the now familiar trend, with the Willie Mullins-led Irish battalion rocking up on British shores to plunder the majority of the most valuable pots. Three of the four Championship contests headed across the Irish Sea, as Ireland ended the week with a massive 20 wins to just the eight for the British.
Having retained the Prestbury Cup with consummate ease, Ireland’s leading trainers now have their eyes on the next huge prize on the British racing calendar – the Aintree Grand National.
Irish Challenge as Strong as Ever in 2025
Kicking off with the Mouse Morris-trained Rule The World in 2016, the Irish have now claimed six of the past eight editions of the most famous jumps race in the world. Looking at the current list of entries, it would take a brave man to bet against the trainers of the Emerald Isle extending that record to seven from nine in 2025.
Of the 66 runners remaining in the race (well, the race to be in the race!), 32 are based in Ireland. When focussing on the top 34 in the weights, i.e. those guaranteed to get a run under the 34-runner max stipulation, 18 of the top 34 hail from Ireland.
The starkest representation of the task facing the home team is seen in the betting odds. A little over two weeks before the big race, seven runners are priced below 20/1. Of those seven, six are based in Ireland, including Irish Grand National hero, Intense Raffles, defending champion I Am Maximus, 2023 runner-up Vanillier, and 2025 Cross Country Chase hero Stumptown.
Iroko Leads Home Defence
Strong as the Irish challenge is, there are no shortage of live contenders amongst the home team. Leading the way is the Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero-trained, Iroko, who sports the famous green and gold silks of JP McManus.
💚💛 Iroko – he provides owner JP McManus with a quickfire double & also gives trainers Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero their first #CheltenhamFestival success
👏 Nice ride Aidan Kelly pic.twitter.com/zPmErT2YPS
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) March 17, 2023
One of the youngest runners in the field at seven years of age, he will be making only his second start in handicap chase company at Aintree and falls firmly into the unexposed category. Whilst yet to tackle marathon trips, he often does his best work in the closing stages and may go close to handing his owner a fourth Grand National success on the back of a particularly fruitful Cheltenham Festival.
Big Name Trainers also In the Mix
Joining Iroko towards the head of the British entries are runners from the yards of two trainers with an impressive haul of 20 British Trainer’s Championships between them, and a man who handed Tony McCoy his only win in the race in 2010.
Hyland – Nicky Henderson has won about all there is to win during his lengthy career, but not yet the Grand National. Gold Cup, Champion Hurdle, Queen Mother Champion Chase, and Stayers’ Hurdle trophies reside within the Seven Barrows cabinet, but thus far the Aintree prize has proved elusive. Hyland could be the horse to put that right. A winner of three of six starts over fences, he finished second in Grade 1 company over Christmas and caught the eye when staying on from a mile back in the 3m Ladbrokes Trophy last time out.
Kandoo Kid – Paul Nicholls lies over £700,000 behind former assistant Dan Skelton in the race to be crowned British Champion trainer for a record-equalling 15th time. However, he could erase much of that deficit in one fell swoop if Kandoo Kid comes home in front on April 5th. Whilst only eighth in the Greatwood Gold Cup last time, that came over an inadequate 2m4f. He had previously suggested that staying was his game when claiming the Coral Gold Cup in November and has solid form over these fences having finished second in the 2024 Topham Chase. Successful with Neptune Collonges in 2012, Nicholls will have high hopes of adding a second Grand National triumph to his CV.
Monbeg Genius – Also fancied to go well by many is the horse who looked set for the big time when finishing third in a stellar edition of the Ultima Handicap Chase in 2023. The runner-up that day, Fastorslow, has since scored three times in Grade 1 company, whilst the winner, Corach Rambler, famously won the 2023 Grand National for Lucinda Russell. In contrast to his conquerors, Monbeg Genius endured a spell in the doldrums following his Ultima effort. However, he suggested his turn may be near with a solid fourth in the Welsh Grand National in December and duly won easily at Uttoxeter next time. Now nine years old, he could be hitting form at just the right time for the Jonjo O’Neill team, who claimed the 2010 Grand National with Don’t Push It.
Will Iroko, Hyland, Kandoo Kid, Monbeg Genius, or another British runner have enough to repel the swarm of Irish staying talent? We will find out on Saturday 5th April.