The Grand National news cycle was dominated by Grangeclare West‘s victory in the Bobbyjo Chase at Fairyhouse this weekend.
Last year, Grangeclare West made a bad mistake at the final fence before finishing third at Aintree. His preparations this year echo I Am Maximus and Nick Rockett’s for the last two seasons. Both of those stablemates won the Bobbyjo Chase in their final starts before their Grand National triumphs.
Punters immediately latched onto history after the result. Grangeclare West is now the third favourite for this year’s renewal behind only I Am Maximus and Iroko. Those two rivals finished second and fourth respectively last season.
His five-and-a-half length margin of victory over Gerri Colombe was much clearer than Nick Rockett’s a year ago. It potentially gives Paul Townend, who rode him at Fairyhouse, a tricky decision in April.
Mullins wins 15th Bobbyjo with “classy animal”
Isolating the Bobbyjo Chase, this was Willie Mullins’ 15th win in the race. It is also his tenth win in the last 11 renewals.
He has scored with the last two Grand National winners in this race too. Grangeclare West is certainly stepping along the right path, having stayed on strongly for victory here.
Speaking to Racing TV, as reported by the Mirror, Paul Townend was confident that he had chosen the correct horse to ride out of the four Mullins-trained options: “There was going to be no hiding places but I was on the classy animal. In that ground it was matter of getting a rhythm and keep jumping. I’m glad it worked out.
“I could be confident, I was getting that feel off him. On ratings he was entitled to beat them snugly like that and he did.”
Townend realised that his mount was not arriving in the best form. Grangeclare West was beaten 74 lengths in the Irish Gold Cup in eighth last month.
However, this lower Grade assignment was always likely to set up well for him.
“He had to leave a poor run behind him not that long ago but I just looked at it as if I had been on one of the others ones and this lad won, how silly would I look? It’s great when it works out.”
The 2026 Grand National takes place on Saturday 11 April. That date will be circled by Cheveley Park and his Closutton carers, with Cheltenham very likely to be bypassed.