LAST year, Yeah Man became the first Irish-trained winner of the £100,000 Oddschecker Grand National Trial since 1995 and Gavin Cromwell’s charge bids to follow up at Haydock today.

When the Aintree Grand National weights were revealed earlier this week, Yeah Man was allocated 10st 5lb and his trainer commented: “Yeah Man will struggle to get in off his weight.

“The aim is to go to Haydock on Saturday for the Grand National Trial and try to win it again as it is a good race in its own right. He’ll also be entered in the Irish National.”

Yeah Man won last year’s Grand National Trial on heavy ground off a mark of 133, wearing first-time cheekpieces, and idled on the run-in. Third in the Troytown on his seasonal return and fourth in the Thyestes Chase next time out, he is currently rated 144. However, the presence of 164-rated top-weight Royale Pagaille lowers Yeah Man’s weight to 10st 8lb

The only other Irish runner, Gordon Elliott-trained Where It All Began, is 4lb out of the handicap. Jordan Gainford’s mount bids to bounce back to form following a poor run at Gowran and was pulled up on his seasonal return in the Welsh Grand National. The nine-year-old showed smarter form a year ago, placing in a rated novice chase won by subsequent Irish National victor Intense Raffles, before landing the Quinnbet Grand National Trial Handicap Chase at Punchestown.

Irish equivalent

He became Elliott’s third consecutive winner in the race and the Co Meath trainer has four horses entered in Sunday’s renewal. The three-mile-and-three-furlong test is worth €100,000, as it was for the first time last year, to coincide with its new listed status.

None of Sunday’s Cullentra contenders have a similar profile, but the 2023 and 2022 winners Coko Beach and Death Duty both built on runs in the Thyestes Chase. The former had finished fourth at Gowran and scored at Punchestown under a 5lb claimer – not unlike Sunday’s runner Favori De Champdou, third at Gowran and ridden by 7lb claimer Josh Williamson this weekend.

Death Duty claimed runner-up honours in 2023, on what would be a final career start for the then 12-year-old. His win 12 months earlier came off the back of a 23-length defeat in the Thyestes, while the 2023 third Defi Bleu (also trained by Elliott) had pulled up in the Gowran showpiece, so their Kilkenny form needn’t be too closely scrutinised it would seem.

The Gordon Elliott-trained Will Do, who finished sixth in the Thyestes, currently heads the market alongside Gavin Cromwell’s Thyestes runner-up Velvet Elvis. However, should you follow statistics, only three of the last 10 winners of the Grand National Trial returned the favourite, though no winner exceeded 14/1.