Irish Grand National Tips 2026: Three each-way fancies for the big one

The Irish Grand National from Fairyhouse is one of those fabulous annual treats at around this time of the year - along with golf's Masters, and lots of other standout events. It's been won by some of the greats - Arkle, Flyingbolt, Brown Lad, and a sprinkling of sensational UK raiders too like Desert Orchid, Rhyme 'N' Reason and last year's scorer Haiti Couleurs.

Several have gone on to Aintree glory afterwards - it's an outstanding affair in its own right and rather as with the Liverpool showpiece it's rare to find too many lumping more than 11st around the 3m 5f trip and 24 fences, to secure victory.

Let's see if we can find a few to run well for us at a decent price - each-way of course.

Horse Racing odds

One Big Bang e/w @ 12/1

As I write it's about 13/2 the field, betting-wise, so an open look to proceedings. Hardly surprising given the nature of the test, and the sport's biggest names who chase the winner's purse of some €269,500.

The first of my three hopefuls to either prevail or come mighty close is a UK-raider trained at flat HQ in Newmarket by James Owen; One Big Bang.

Passes the weight 'test' - carries 10st 10lb - and has last year's winning jockey Sean Bowen in the saddle. Sean's ridden the eight-year-old Masked Marvel gelding once before, in a Listed hurdle at the Punchestown Festival last year (finishing an excellent third).

Since being sent chasing in November he's had four runs in mainly decent company, winning a beginner's event at Southwell and perhaps most importantly coming a 16.5l third in the Challenge Cup novices' handicap at the Cheltenham Festival 27 days ago, claimer-ridden.

Holloway Queen you'll recall was the very impressive winner there for Nicky Henderson and Sean's brother James, and we were conceding 2lb. A very fine run, all things considered, teeing him up beautifully for this.

He's been dropped a pound by the assessor for that to a mark of 138, and we can't underestimate the value of having Sean on top. The selection was rated 137 over hurdles and is already officially a better chaser.

At eight I doubt if we've glimpsed anything like his ceiling yet and he's got a definite touch of class. He's my main hope.

Showurappreciation e/w @ 12/1

This is another eight-year-old, a gelded son of Mastercraftsman, and one of several in this to race in the fabled green-and-gold of JP McManus.

As with most of the field the extreme trip is a bit of a puzzle, but if he hadn't sluiced up when last seen 16 days ago at Navan he wouldn't have even got into this - he needed the 9lb penalty to secure his spot and at number 25 he didn't have all that much to spare.

Mark Walsh rides, for so long JP's main man; but Harry Cobden (who rides the owner's Goraibhmaithagat - if you can pronounce that you have my undying admiration) is shortly to take over the no.1 spot on both sides of the Irish Sea.

Interesting to know who if anyone had the choice of the owner's five likely starters, but for me Walsh is on the one most likely. Last time was a career-high, he was doing his best work at the end of nearly 3m on soft/heavy ground (soft is predicted today), and with two wins from five chasing assignments thus far he represents an unexposed type for me that could surely take a hand.

Jonathan Sweeney trains, and needless to say for a pretty small yard if he were to train an Irish National winner for the sport's legend of an owner it would be a massive event indeed.

C'Est Ta Chance e/w @ 11/1

My third e/w pick is another racing in distinctive, unmistakable colours; the double green of Simon Munir & Isaac Souede.

C'Est Ta Chance is trained by Willie Mullins too - no hardship - and nephew Danny takes the mount. In terms of any stamina encouragement his sire Elm Park was very useful at around a mile but didn't get the Derby trip.

His wholly unremarkable dam in terms of racecourse appearances (just two) did at least have one respectable effort at 1m 7f, beaten 5.25l in a maiden, but it's fingers crossed really - a remark that applies to many in such a contest.

Our selection was rated 131 over timber but already is seen as a 142 chaser, with two wins from four starts over the larger obstacles. Upwardly-mobile then - and last time was a resounding career-high, 32 days ago at Thurles, going clear in a novice worth around £20k.

He's got 11st, just on the cusp of where I want, or more accurately don't, want to be, but he's up just 2lb for that last fine win and there's surely plenty more to come. Let's hope the first installment is on Monday afternoon, for his charismatic, all-action jockey and genius trainer.

Naps Table with Betfred Insights.