Local trainer hopes to cause another Easter upset with his 33-1 dark horse that can take it to the big boys
TRAINER Dermot McLoughlin is no stranger to upsetting the odds at his local track Fairyhouse.
The local lad caused an enormous shock in the 2021 Irish Grand National when Freewheelin Dylan scored at odds of 150-1 – becoming the biggest-price winner of the race.
It wasn’t a flash in the pan, however, as history repeated itself when Lord Lariat won 12 months later at odds of 40-1.
There’s something about McLoughlin and the Irish Grand National, and 2024 could be another year for him to shock the big guns.
He saddles novice Digby this year, a 25-1 dark horse who been given three stiff tasks over fences thus far.
McLoughlin was speaking to BoyleSports, who offer the latest Irish Grand National betting: “We have a horse called Digby who is still a novice and he has an entry.
“He hasn’t even run in a handicap yet with the ground being so bad all winter. He was due to run a couple of times but with the ground so heavy I haven’t risked him.
“He is more of a spring horse and could easily sneak into the field. 25 have to come out of it but 15 of them are probably going to Aintree. So, I think he will sneak in.”
McLoughlin’s two wins in the race are sandwiched by victories for the all-conquering Willie Mullins stable.
But those two wins came with horses who cost just £22,000 combined and McLoughlin isn’t shying away from taking on the Irish powerhouses.
He continued: “We never have an empty stable, but the calibre horse I am working with is different. Lord Lariat cost €5,500, Freewheelin’ Dylan was €20,000.
“I don’t want a bigger yard, 40 is a perfect number, but the calibre and cost of horses here has gone through the roof – and Willie [Mullins] and Gordon [Elliott] get the pick.
“It is the same in any sport. If you are at the top, you stay at the top and he is well able to stay there and can buy any horse he wants to.”
The Willie Mullins-trained Nick Rockett is the 4-1 favourite for the Irish Grand National, with Tom Gibney’s Intense Raffles next in at 7-1.
Last year’s race was won by I Am Maximus, trained by Mullins and ridden by Paul Townend, who was completing the set of big Irish races over jumps.
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