A maximum field of 30 lined up for the 2026 edition of the Easter Monday showpiece. In a competitive renewal, strong support on the day saw Soldier In Milan win the battle for favouritism. Hailing from the yard of Aintree Grand National-winning trainer Emmet Mullins, the seven-year-old arrived on the back of an eye-catching prep run at Thurles.
The backing of Paul Townend saw the Willie Mullins-trained Kiss Will start as the second favourite. A respectable fifth in the Jack Richards Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase at the Cheltenham Festival, he sought to hand his master handler a third win in the race. Last sighted in the Grade 1 Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase, Argento Boy was another to note from the Mullins yard.
The pick of the British runners, according to the betting market, was the Ben Pauling-trained seven-year-old The Jukebox Kid. Another to fall into the lightly raced category, he took his chase record to three wins from four starts with victory in the Grade 2 Reynoldstown Novices’ Chase at Ascot in February.
Gordon Elliott saddled six runners in his bid to fend off Willie Mullins in the race to become Irish Champion trainer. The shortest-priced of that sextet was the top-weighted Better Days Ahead, who had finished second in Grade 2 company on his two most recent outings.
One of the big gambles on the day was the J P McManus-owned Showurappreciation, whose price shortened from 16/1 to 10/1 following the confirmation that Mark Walsh would ride.
Result
- 1st – Soldier In Milan 6/1F, Jockey: Donagh Meyler, Trainer: Emmet Mullins
- 2nd – Showurappreciation 10/1, Jockey: Mark Walsh, Trainer: Jonathan Sweeney
- 3rd – The Enabler 28/1, Jockey: Danny Gilligan, Trainer: Gordon Elliott
- 4th – Argento Boy 16/1, Jockey: Sean O’Keeffe, Trainer: Willie Mullins
Prize Money Breakdown
- 1st – €269,500
- 2nd – €94,500
- 3rd – €44,500
- 4th – €19,500
- 5th – €9,500
- 6th – €3,250
- 7th – €3,250
- 8th – €2,000
Tote and Forecast Payouts
- Tote Win – €7.00
- Tote Places – 1st – €2.10, 2nd – €2.70, 3rd – €6.80
- Exacta – €68.50
- Computer Straight Forecast (CSF) – €57.70
- Trifecta – €2,044.60
- Tricast – €1,662.09
Recap
The British raider Monbeg Genius won the race to the first fence, closely followed by the three market leaders, Soldier In Milan, Kiss Will, and The Jukebox Kid. Velvet Elvis, Waterford Whispers, and Shanbally Kid also gained prominent early positions.
There was little change in the order as the field approached the fifth fence. The Jukebox Kid joined Monbeg Genius at the head of affairs, with a couple of lengths back to Soldier In Milan, Kiss Will, and Shanbally Kid, who made up the next wave of three. Showurappreciation raced comfortably in midfield, but a couple of errors saw the fellow J P McManus runner, Sa Majeste, drop to the back of the pack.
Turning into the home straight for the first time, Monbeg Genius continued to bowl along in front. Ben Jones and The Jukebox Kid kept him company, with Soldier In Milan now in a clear third. The Mullins duo of C’Est Ta Chance and Kiss Will led the chasing pack.
Monbeg Genius still held the lead moving into the second half of the race. Shanbally Kid was helping push the pace on the outside, narrowly ahead of The Jukebox Kid. Kiss Will and Soldier In Milan raced together in fourth and fifth. One Big Bang, Yeah Man, and Shecouldbeanything came next, with Search For Glory, Kurasso Blue, and Waterford Whispers among those beginning to struggle.
The Jukebox Kid was the first of the fancied runners to slip up when making a jarring error at the sixth last. Towards the end of the back straight, Monbeg Genius finally lost the lead as Soldier In Milan swept around his outside. Kiss Will followed him through with stablemate C’Est Ta Chance. The Enabler, Showurappreciation, and Argento Boy began to stay on from further back but had a lot of work to do.
Into the home straight, it became clear that there was only one horse in it. Kiss Will fell at the third last, but Soldier In Milan had already kicked clear to open up a three-length lead. Six lengths ahead at the second last, and ten clear over the final fence, the market leader powered right away to score by a resounding 16 lengths. Showurappreciation stuck on well for second ahead of The Enabler in third.
A first Irish Grand National for Emmet Mullins to complement the Aintree Grand National he won with Noble Yeats in 2022. A delighted Donagh Meyler was also winning the race for the first time.
Runners
- 1. Better Days Ahead – SP: 11/1, Trainer: Gordon Elliott, Jockey: Mr R James
- 2. Search For Glory – SP: 22/1, Trainer: Gordon Elliott, Jockey: James Smith
- 3. Argento Boy – SP: 16/1, Trainer: Willie Mullins, Jockey: Sean O’Keeffe
- 4. Joystick – SP: 28/1, Trainer: Willie Mullins, Jockey: Brian Hayes
- 5. The Jukebox Kid – SP: 8/1, Trainer: Ben Pauling, Jockey: Ben Jones
- 6. Rushmount – SP: 50/1, Trainer: Jonathan Sweeney, Jockey: Mr Alan O’Sullivan
- 7. Yeah Man – SP: 66/1, Trainer: Gavin Cromwell, Jockey: Keith Donoghue
- 8. C’Est Ta Chance – SP: 20/1, Trainer: Willie Mullins, Jockey: Danny Mullins
- 9. Flicker Of Hope – SP: 18/1, Trainer: Mark Fahey, Jockey: Michael Kenneally
- 10. Soldier In Milan – SP: 6/1F, Trainer: Emmet Mullins, Jockey: Donagh Meyler
- 11. Monbeg Genius – SP: 25/1, Trainer: Jonjo & A J O’Neill, Jockey: Jonjo O’Neill Jr
- 12. Shecouldbeanything – SP: 25/1, Trainer: Gordon Elliott, Jockey: Jack Kennedy
- 13. Kiss Will – SP: 13/2, Trainer: Willie Mullins, Jockey: Paul Townend
- 14. Velvet Elvis – SP: 125/1, Trainer: John C McConnell, Jockey: Alex Harvey
- 15. One Big Bang – SP: 16/1, Trainer: A J Martin, Jockey: Jack Kearney
- 16. Goraibhmaithagat – SP: 12/1, Trainer: C A Murphy, Jockey: Harry Cobden
- 17. Karia Des Blaises – SP: 25/1, Trainer: Willie Mullins, Jockey: Anna McGuinness
- 18. Better Times Ahead – SP: 25/1, Trainer: Robert Tyner, Jockey: Simon Torrens
- 19. Hartur d’Arc – SP: 125/1, Trainer: John C McConnell, Jockey: Sean Flanagan
- 20. Kurasso Blue – SP: 33/1, Trainer: Gordon Elliott, Jockey: Jordan Gainford
- 21. The Enabler – SP: 28/1, Trainer: Gordon Elliott, Jockey: Danny Gilligan
- 22. Duffle Coat – SP: 80/1, Trainer: Gordon Elliott, Jockey: Josh Williamson
- 23. O’Toole – SP: 33/1, Trainer: S R B Crawford, Jockey: James Bowen
- 24. Sa Majeste – SP: 50/1, Trainer: Willie Mullins, Jockey: Aidan Kelly
- 25. Showurappreciation – SP: 10/1, Trainer: Jonathan Sweeney, Jockey: Mark Walsh
- 26. Western Walk – SP: 33/1, Trainer: Jonathan Sweeney, Jockey: Daniel King
- 27. Weveallbeencaught – SP: 40/1, Trainer: Eric McNamara, Jockey: Patrick M O’Brien
- 28. Born Braver – SP: 28/1, Trainer: Gavin Cromwell, Jockey: Eoghan Finegan
- 29. Shanbally Kid – SP: 40/1, Trainer: Willie Mullins, Jockey: John Shinnick
- 30. Waterford Whispers – SP: 18/1, Trainer: Henry De Bromhead, Jockey: Darragh O’Keeffe
Non-Runners
All ran.