BRIAN KAVANAGH

CEO HORSE RACING IRELAND

My favourite Grand National memories are from the most recent years, particularly in 2017 when One For Arthur, bred by my brother-in-law John Dwan came home at 14/1. He was well backed in our house and got a great shout home. John is a genius for breeding and buying young horses and it was a really proud day for him and his wife Patricia. Seeing Irish horses fill the first four places in last year’s race was another great memory. This year, while the heart says One For Arthur, the head says TIGER ROLL and I will be having a little on each of them and am looking forward to another great Aintree occasion.

COLM O’ROURKE

OWNER AND SUNDAY GAME PANELIST

The first Grand National I had a bet on was in 1971. I backed a horse called Specify at 28/1. He won and that is what probably got me interested in racing. I backed L’Escargot when he won as well. I suppose in those days the race was more of a lottery and much more open. Now the fences are easier and the race is a lot better quality-wise. I think that is a good thing for the race.

You look at the calibre of horses taking part, like Anibale Fly, coming on from finishing second in a Gold Cup. I think he’d have a fair chance if it came up soft but I can’t get away from TIGER ROLL. He could just be the class horse of the race. I’m not sure I’d back him at his current price but I did back him at Cheltenham to win by over three lengths. He’ll take a fair bit of beating today.

HUGH CAHILL

GAME ON PRESENTER, 2FM

Very unoriginal but I really think TIGER ROLL is going to win again. You can make a strong argument that he is a better horse this year than when he won it 12 months ago and I don’t see the weight being a problem. I’ve never backed a 4/1 shot in a Grand National, but I’ll be on the favourite this year. He might well go down as a legend of the sport in years to come. At a bigger price, I think Jury Duty could run a big race so Ill back him each way too.

PHILIP REYNOLDS

OWNER

It was really disappointing for my own lad Mall Dini to come out of the race so late in the day but that’s racing.

My each-way bet for the National is WALK IN THE MILL from the small yard of Robert Walford. He was trained for the race last year only to be withdrawn with lameness that morning. Sneaking in at the bottom of the weights, he has the right profile. His two most recent runs were both over hurdles as connections obviously decided to protect his mark and pray he would make the cut.

BERNARD CALDWELL

CHAIRMAN IRISH STABLESTAFF ASSOCIATION

“I would like to see Tiger Roll win but he has a lot of weight, so I’ll go for VINTAGE CLOUDS. He ran well at Cheltenham, has a nice weight, and he stays well. His trainer Sue Smith and owner Trevor Hemmings both have a good record in the race. The best Grand National bet I ever had was Rag Trade in 1976. I only backed it because I was working in the rag trade at the time!

BARRY GERAGHTY

My mount Anibale Fly has a great chance but he has a lot of weight. The one I like is JURY DUTY. He won the American Grand National and he has the right man on board in Robbie Power.

GAVIN CROMWELL

Tiger Roll looks a certainty but I’ll go with JURY DUTY. He’s has a relaxed way of racing that will give him a chance of staying the trip.

KATE HARRINGTON

Magic Of Light will be our first runner in the race and a first ride there for Paddy Kennedy. She ran a great race to be seventh in the Ultima Handicap Chase at Cheltenham. Last Friday we schooled her over the Aintree fence at the Curragh and she went amazingly well. Of the others, MINELLA ROCCO catches my eye.

KEVIN KILBANE

FORMER IRISH INTERNATIONAL FOOTBALLER

Both Robbie Power and I are BoyleSports ambassadors but when I ask Robbie for a tip he never tells me anything. Still, I have a good feeling about JURY DUTY at Aintree. My usual system is to back numbers 1, 15 and 23, the birthdays of myself and my two daughters. Mon Mome was number 15 in 2009 and I had a tenner each-way on him at 100/1!

WILLIE MULLINS

I think Rathvinden and Pleasant Company have the best chances of the ones I run. PLEASANT COMPANY was only beaten by a short-head last year on heavy ground. He’s by Presenting so I’m hoping the good ground this year will suit him even better. The extra weight he has this year doesn’t worry me but I just hope he’s not one of those horses who remembers Aintree and says to himself ‘not this again, no thank you!”

ROBBIE POWER

JURY DUTY is a Grade 2 winner, he beat Shattered Love and Presenting Percy as a novice, he’s got plenty of class, and he went to the USA and won. If he gets the trip he has a great chance.

ANDREW SHAW

SENIOR NATIONAL HUNT HANDICAPPER

Tiger Roll is looking like a Grade 1 horse this season. He would have been entitled to run in the Gold Cup though I’m not saying he would have won it. The Grand National and those cross country races suit his temperament. He would jump anything and he is so nimble, he just adapts himself.

Jury Duty is a progressive sort who travels well, jumps well and has a nice weight. He’s 6lbs well in. In a modern-day National his unproven stamina is not too much of a worry and I don’t think the obstacles will be an issue. Of all the Willie Mullins entries, I would prefer RATHVINDEN. He must have a great chance.

MARTIN HEYDON

FINE GAEL CHAIRMAN & KILDARE TD

I’ll be backing TIGER ROLL. I’ve been to Aintree a few times and had the thrill of walking the course with a friend who had a runner.

My earliest memory of the big race was watching in 1985 as an excited six-year-old with my father who had fulfilled a lifelong dream of owning a racehorse when John Hayden bought him a horse in Newmarket in 1980.

Blackrath Prince was initially trained by Liam Browne and later by Francis Flood and had many good days out partnered by Frank Berry, Anthony Powell or a young Conor O’Dwyer. When my father was diagnosed with cancer, Blackrath Prince was sold but went on to compete in the 1985 Grand National. We watched proudly that day as he completed the course and finished 10th.

GARY O’BRIEN

RACING TV PRESENTER

PLEASANT COMPANY suffered an agonising defeat at the hands of Tiger Roll in last year’s Grand National but the Presenting gelding might be able to go one better this time. Admittedly the 2018 hero appears to have improved in the interim whereas the selection has shown nothing in two starts this season, but it is worth remembering Willie Mullins’ charge went into that race on the back of a similarly uninspiring effort in the Thyestes Chase as he will on Saturday. He clearly loves Aintree and should mount another bold bid under man of the moment Paul Townend.

KEVIN BLAKE

AT THE RACES COLUMNIST

I’ll go with STEP BACK. He is lightly raced, but he wasn’t held back by inexperience when winning the Bet365 Gold Cup at Sandown last season. He has been brought along steadily with a view to this race and he should go well.