KINTURK KALANISI (5.00) is fancied to uphold Tom Gibney’s excellent record in the BoyleSports Irish Grand National on Easter Monday. The trainer landed Fairyhouse’s main event with Lion Na Bearnai 13 years ago and Intense Raffles when it was last run. Gibney considered asking the latter to return for another go after a trip to Aintree for its spruce-fenced version on April 5.
Instead the stable relies on Kinturk Kalanisi, originally thought to be too lowly-rated to get into the 24-fence race over 3m5f. But that is fortunately not the case and he will carry the number 26 saddlecloth with a weight of 10st 7lb, in a field which includes British raider Haiti Couleurs and seven Gavin Cromwell-saddled hopefuls.
My selection first suggested this stamina test might eventually be on his radar when finishing third in a quality three-mile Listed Series Final at last year’s meeting.
Sent over fences at the start of the season, Kinturk Kalanisi obtained the same place behind Gordon Elliott’s top weight Better Days Ahead, a Grade One horse he has a 19lb pull with.
Second at this track on his next start when an intermediate distance was too short, Darragh O’Keeffe’s mount had only Three Card Brag in front of him when contesting a beginners’ chase at Navan.
The winner went on to perform very well in the Grand National until running out of stamina, while the third Captain Cody excelled in Scotland’s version and fourth-placed Now Is The Hour was well-fancied for National Hunt Chase glory.
That rival fell when two lengths off Haiti Couleurs at the penultimate obstacle and it was bound to have been close between the pair had the Cheltenham Festival mishap not occurred.
Both are prominent in the market, along with Johnnywho, whose co-trainer Jonjo O’Neill took this in 2007 with Butlers Cabin and Shutthefrontdoor seven years later.
The latest contender looked set to score in the Kim Muir at Prestbury Park’s four-day racing extravaganza, but a final fence mistake proved costly and he tries to make amends from 6lb higher.
Canal End would be another with a chance in the JP McManus silks – also sported by Bioluminescence, Sa Majeste and Johnnywho’s stablemate Hasthing – but needs a couple to drop out of the 30-runner field.
He was allotted 9lb more than when clearing away at the end of a Navan Novice Handicap Chase Final and this big race would have come at the right time of his career.