Jane Mangan’s William Hill blog: Irish Grand National meeting tips

William Hill ambassador Jane Mangan has tips for Sunday and Monday of the Irish Grand National meeting at Fairyhouse, including in the big one on Monday.

Sunday, Fairyhouse

The Irish Grand National meeting is here and I’m going to start off in the two-and-a-half-mile handicap hurdle (1.22pm), for which I quite like Sticwiththeprocess. He is now 14 pounds better off with Crescent Moon than when they met last time at Fairyhouse when he made his handicap debut. I think with that experience under his belt on only his fifth career start, this guy will be hard to beat for Ted Walsh and Mark Walsh.

In the Willow warm Gold Cup (2.22pm), I don’t think there’s a Galopin Des Champs in the field, but they’re quite a tidy set as six of them line up. Down Memory Lane is one who I don’t think we’ve seen the best of yet. He was an exciting hurdler last year, despite only having two starts, and when he beat King Of Kingsfield by seven lengths at Navan in November, I thought he was in for a big season and obviously connections did too, because they stepped him into Grade One company next time in the UK where he was well beaten L’Eau Du Sud. He disappointed the next day he was let down by his jumping behind Lecky Watson at Punchestown. Obviously that form now stands up well and I’d say with a better round of jumping and up to two-and-a-half miles, he might have more to offer compared to his more exposed rivals.

The Honeysuckle Mares Novice Grade One (4.10pm) looks like a fantastic renewal with a good strong field declared. We have the Cheltenham Festival heroine Air Of Entitlement in here but it’s a pity that Sixandahalf is a non-runner, and the rematch between them will have to wait for another day. This trip is longer than that Cheltenham race and I think it plays into the hands of The Big Westerner. She’s dropping down in distance after getting beaten in what looked unlucky circumstances in the Albert Bartlett. The rain that’s fallen here will really enhance her chances, she brings the best official rating into the race and I think she’s just the best mare here. It’s Henry de Bromhead for me to make Honeysuckle proud in the race named after her.

Monday, Fairyhouse

My selection for the Irish Grand National (5pm) is the mare Bioluminescence. Since the turn of the century, there’s only been two mare win the race, but not too many of this calibre have tried. She is one of the most inexperienced in the field, having had just three starts over fences. But I think the rain that has come will really improve her chances. I was very impressed with what she did in her chase debut with Limerick over Christmas and subsequently when she found only Dancing City too good at Naas conceding weight to him. Her racing weight of 11st. 3lbs is solid and I think she has a lot of class. I think she’s unexposed and a difficult one for the handicapper to assess properly. And as a seven-year-old, she has definitely more improvement to come.

In the two-mile-and-five handicap hurdle (3.15pm) I like Come Walk With Me. He’s still a maiden but has run in behind some good horses, such as when fifth to future Albert Bartlett winner Jasmin De Vaux on debut in December. His last run behind Redemption Day was another notable piece of form and I think he could run a big race for smaller connections here.

The Grade Two two-and-a-half-mile hurdle (3.50pm) is an interesting race as it mixes long established operators with some less exposed types, and in this instance, I’m going to side with the old guard in the shape of Lantry Lady. I think Henry de Bromhead’s mare will relish conditions now that significant rain has fallen. They tried her over fences and she disappointed then, but her run behind Lossiemouth at Cheltenham last year is a really eye-catching piece of form. She’ll do for me at an each-way price.

The Grade Two two-mile-three chase (4.20pm) was won last year by Journey With Me who’s back to try and repeat the feat. However, I’m keen on the market leader here, Heart Wood. I thought his run behind Fact To File in the Ryanair the last day was a very solid effort and I think the others will struggle to match that. I think he’s a stronger finisher than Blood Destiny and this trip is perfect too – he’ll be hard to beat.

The bumper (6.10pm) is rarely a race I have much of an opinion on because Willie Mullins or Gordon Elliott usually win them, but I think Shuttle Diplomacy, the second-season bumper horse, is a quite a good prospect. He won twice last year, but disappointed in the Grade One Punchestown bumper and we hadn’t seen him until the Cheltenham Festival this year, where he was beaten only three lengths by Bambino Fever. While he has to give seven pounds to some of his rivals, I think he’s a good horse and he’s going to take a lot of beating in the bumper.