The Irish Grand National is Grade 1 National Hunt race which was first run in 1870. The event is held at Fairyhouse Racecourse in Ireland over a distance of 3 miles and 5 furlongs (5834m).
The race is run under handicap conditions every Easter Monday and takes in some 24 fences. The Irish Grand National is the feature event of the Fairyhouse racing carnival which takes place at Easter each year.
Several horses that have saluted in the Irish Grand National have also been winners of the English equivalent of the race, the Aintree Grand National. The first horse to achieve this feat was Ascetic's Silver in 1906. In more recent times the feat has been achieved by Rhyme 'n' Reason, Numbersixvalverde and Bobbyjo. The latter now has a function room named in his honour at the Fairyhouse track.
Brown Lad is the record holder for wins in the Irish Grand National with three. Twice ridden by Tommy Carberry and once by Gerry Dowd, Brown Lad still holds the weight carrying record for the race at 12-02. Evidently he carried that same weight in his wins in 1976 and 1978.
Tom Dreaper is the leading trainer of Irish Grand National winners with ten. Amazingly he trained the winner of the race every year from 1960-1966. One man who benefited from Dreaper's great run was Pat Taaffe. Taaffe holds the record for wins by a jockey in the Irish Grand National with six. Four of these wins were for record trainer Tom Dreaper.
Year | Winner | Age | Jockey | Trainer |
2010 | Bluesea Cracker |
8 | Andrew McNamara |
James Motherway |
2009 | Niche Market |
8 | Harry Skelton |
Bob Buckler |
2008 | Hear The Echo |
7 | Paddy Flood |
Mouse Morris |
2007 | Butler's Cabin |
7 | Tony McCoy |
Jonjo O'Neill |
2006 | Point Barrow |
8 | Phillip Carberry |
Pat Hughes |
2005 | Numbersixvalvaerde |
9 | Ruby Walsh |
Martin Brassil |
2004 | Granit d'Estruval |
10 | Brian Harding |
Ferdy Murphy |
2003 | Timbera |
9 | Jim Culloty |
Dessie Hughes |
2002 | The Bunny Boiler |
8 | Ross Geraghty |
Noel Meade |
2001 | Davids Lad |
7 | Timmy Murphy |
Tony Martin |
2000 | Commanche Court |
7 | Ruby Walsh |
Ted Walsh |