Declarations are in and the stage is set for Fairyhouse’s feature race on Easter Monday, with 30 runners going to post for the 2026 Irish Grand National.

I consider the state of play following declarations, assessing the runners and riders for the feature race of the meeting – and two of my ante-post selections have shortened in the past few days.

So let’s get down to business, starting with the full list of confirmed runners and riders for the 2026 Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse.

Irish National Declared Runners & Riders:

Better Days Ahead (Rob James)

Search For Glory (James Smith)

Argento Boy (Sean O’Keeffe)

Joystick (Brian Hayes)

The Jukebox Kid (Ben Jones)

Rushmount (Alan O’Sullivan)

Yeah Man (Keith Donoghue)

C’est Ta Chance (Danny Mullins)

Flicker Of Hope (Michael Kenneally)

Soldier In Milan (Donagh Meyler)

Monbeg Genius (Jonjo O’Neill Jr)

Shecouldbeanything (Jack Kennedy)

Kiss Will (Paul Townend)

Velvet Elvis (Alex Harvey)

One Big Bang (Sean Bowen)

Goraibhmaithagat (Harry Cobden)

Karia Des Blaises (Anna McGuinness)

Better Times Ahead (Simon Torrens)

Hartur D’Arc (Sean Flanagan)

Kurasso Blue (Jordan Gainford)

The Enabler (Danny Gilligan)

Duffle Coat (Josh Williamson)

O’Toole (James Bowen)

Sa Majeste (Aidan Kelly)

Showurappreciation (Mark Walsh)

Western Walk (Daniel King)

Weveallbeencaught (Patrick O’Brien)

Born Braver (Eoghan Finegan)

Shanbally Kid (John Shinnick)

Waterford Whispers (Darragh O’Keeffe)

Irish Grand National Reserves:

R1: The Lovely Man (Reserve)

R2: Folly Master (Reserve)

R3: Uhavemeinstitches (Reserve)

 

Barring a dramatic turn of events, the JP McManus-owned UHAVEMEINSTITCHES is unlikely to get a run – a huge shame as she was one of my Irish National ante-post fancies.

However, my other two are still standing and both have been found in the market since declarations. SOLDIER IN MILAN, tipped up at 9/1, is as short as 13/2 with one firm while KISS WILL, suggested at 16/1 in my ante-post column, is now no bigger than 9/1.

I’m going to go into a little more detail as to why I like these two horses for Monday’s race at Fairyhouse and hopefully, with a bit of luck, one will come up trumps for readers of this column. So, let’s get down to business starting with the Emmet Mullins runner.

 

Why SOLDER IN MILAN?

It can feel ‘too obvious’ with Emmet Mullins and Paul Byrne sometimes but I genuinely think he’s probably been plotted for this race since making his debut. There looks to be plenty under the bonnet to my eye, with a soft enough ride at Gowran Park in January before an education at Thurles the last day.

His run at Thurles is the one that stands out – he was held up and taught to race from off the pace. While he finished sixth, I wasn’t looking at the runners in front of him, I was

looking at the Andrew Slattery-trained FLEUR IN THE PARK and how the selection breezed past him turning for home and the gap back to fifth just kept on growing.

Looking at his one bumper run, it is absolutely stacked – there were some good horses in behind him at Punchestown. King Rasko Grey, Catchintsavo, Riskaway, Conman John, Moudoui’boy, Espresso Milan and Sticktotheplan have all enjoyed reasonable levels of success since and Soldier In Milan has the potential to be the best of them.

I’d like to also refer to Emmet Mullins’ comments following Solder In Milan’s success at Punchestown in February – ironically when finishing one-and-a-half lengths clear of Kiss Will. “It was nice to see when Paul ranged up and Donagh sat down on his back, there seemed to be plenty there. This is his game, three miles, staying tests on soft ground.”

The trainer seemed to suggest that he could go to Cheltenham off the back of that run but Soldier In Milan instead dropped back in trip and was held up at Thurles. To me, the plan was Fairyhouse even then and I’m really hopeful of a big run – though admittedly it might turn out to be too much, too soon for a relatively inexperienced novice.

 

Why KISS WILL?

I’m firmly of the belief that Kiss Will has been crying out for a trip for a while now and the 3m5f trip should be right up his street. He’s unexposed over staying chase distances but wasn’t stopping when pulling clear in a 3m Listed Hurdle at Perth last April. I was keen on his chances earlier in the week but even more so now – and here is why.

Paul Townend has decided to ride Kiss Will over the likes of Argento Boy and C’Est Ta Chance. It’s a bold call but I see it as a huge positive for my selection’s chances, and I’m hoping that this race has been the target for Kiss Will since the beginning of the year. He has certainly been campaigned with a big staying handicap in mind, anyway.

Writing this ahead of Sunday’s card, Kiss Will could see his form franked by Ted Walsh’s SHUFFLE THE DECK (4.25pm, Fairyhouse) and I’ll be having a small play on the related double. I think the JP McManus horse is well handicapped and the drop back in trip will benefit him.

Meanwhile, Kiss Will almost certainly wants to go further and there is bags of stamina in the dam’s pedigree. Vita Will was winless in eight starts under rules but is a half-sister to four winners, including three over 3m or further – the talented My Will and Unioniste also both out of Gleep Will.

I was calling for connections to campaign Kiss Will as a National Hunt Chase horse for much of the campaign but he’s just as intriguing for the Irish National. He was given an informative ride at the course earlier in the season and stayed on well, while he ran an excellent race behind Soldier In Milan at Punchestown in February.

They ran off level weights that day but Kiss Will has a 3lbs swing in the weights this time around and that could make the difference. He’s versatile with regards to ground and a

drop of rain won’t do his chances any harm whatsoever – though he mightn’t want the ground too testing. I’m very confident that he will run a huge race, all being well.

 

GORDON’S IN THE BUMPER

I’d like to give a mention to CHARISMATIC KID in the bumper on Monday. I was sweet on his chances at Cheltenham but he was a non-runner on the day due to ground and the predicted rainfall here will give him a great chance of making up for lost time.

Willie Mullins has won five of the last nine renewals but Gordon Elliott has landed this race three times during that period, with Samcro, Getaway John and Firefox prevailing in the Fairyhouse finale.

Reportedly working the house down ahead of his stable debut, he was a close third at the Dublin Racing Festival. While that form didn’t work out at the Festival, he could turn out to be the best horse in that race and I’m happy to give him another chance.

 

Irish Grand National Weekend Selections:

Sunday, 4.25pm – SHUFFLE THE DECK - 1pt WIN, (4/1)

Monday, 5.00pm – SOLDIER IN MILAN*

Monday, 5.00pm – KISS WILL*

Monday, 6.10pm – CHARISMATIC KID (1pt WIN, SP)

 

*Selections backed at 9/1 and 16/1 in ante-post column*