The Irish Grand National was first run in 1870 and has much in common with the similarly named races held at Aintree, Ayr and Chepstow. It is a shade shorter at three miles and five furlongs but is also a gruelling handicap chase that sees a large field battle it out over 24 fences. The Meath venue of Fairyhouse does the honours when it comes to hosting and the total prize pool of half a million pounds makes this one of the richest races on the Emerald Isle.
It is part of Fairyhouse’s Easter Festival and like the English and Scottish versions of this race is now held in April, usually before the Aintree contest. Brown Lad completed a hat-trick in this race by winning in 1975, 1976 and 1978, with Arkle, Desert Orchid and Rhyme ‘n’ Reason other notable winners. Rhyme ‘n’ Reason was joined by Bobbyjo and Numbersixvalverde on a reasonably long list of horses to land this and also the Aintree edition of the race, though no horse had doubled up in the same year.
2026 - Soldier In Milan
Soldier In Milan produced one of the most emphatic victories in recent years, powering 16 lengths clear at Fairyhouse. The 6-1 favourite was making only his fifth start over fences after connections bypassed hurdles and sent him straight into the chase game. The decision may have raised eyebrows when pulled up on his chase debut, but it certainly paid dividends here. Donagh Meyler moved the seven-year-old to the front with five fences remaining and then was ridden a very long way clear of the rest. It was a dominant performance that justified his short price.
- 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
2025 - Haiti Couleurs
Haiti Couleurs became the first British-trained winner since Shutthefrontdoor in 2014 after producing another polished staying performance. Having won the National Hunt Chase at Cheltenham the previous month, the Rebecca Curtis-trained gelding showed no signs of being inconvenienced by back-to-back slogs. Sean Bowen settled him into a steady rhythm as the leaders went at a relatively gentle pace. The jockey waited until the fourth-last before asking for more, and Haiti Couleurs responded instantly. He jumped the final two fences with complete confidence before pulling three and a quarter lengths clear.
- 1st - Haiti Couleurs 13/2, Jockey: Sean Bowen, Trainer: Rebecca Curtis
- 2nd - Any Second Now 17/2, Jockey: Mark Walsh, Trainer: Ted Walsh
- 3rd - Quai De Bourbon 11/2F, Jockey: Paul Townend, Trainer: Willie Mullins
- 4th - Dunboyne 22/1, Jockey: Donagh Meyler, Trainer: Ian Patrick Donoghue
2024 - Intense Raffles
Intense Raffles gave Tom Gibney his second Irish Grand National victory, fully 12 years after his surprise success with Lion Na Bearnai. The French import had already won twice at Fairyhouse since joining the yard and showed his quality again under JJ Slevin, who was stepping in for the injured Daryl Jacob. He travelled strongly behind the leaders before taking control after the fourth-last, despite making a mistake at that fence. Slevin kept him under restraint until after the second-last before edging ahead. The six-year-old jumped the final obstacle with a narrow advantage and then battled on gamely as the challengers attempted to haul him in.
- 1st - Intense Raffles 13/2, Jockey: J J Slevin, Trainer: Thomas Gibney
- 2nd - Any Second Now 14/1, Jockey: Mark Walsh, Trainer: Ted Walsh
- 3rd - Minella Cocooner 20/1, Jockey: Danny Mullins, Trainer: Willie Mullins
- 4th - Frontal Assault 25/1, Jockey: Carl Millar, Trainer: Gordon Elliott
2023 - I Am Maximus
Paul Townend produced a brilliant late ride to land his first Irish Grand National on the hugely talented I Am Maximus. The Willie Mullins-trained novice looked nowhere near winning for much of the race, struggling early in the cold conditions and regularly jumping left. Despite all the traffic in front, Townend gradually moved him towards the outside and began picking off rivals as the leaders tired. By the home turn, I Am Maximus had joined the rear of the leading group. Of them, Gevrey looked set for victory after the last fence, but Townend's mount powerfully surged through late to claim victory.
- 1st - I Am Maximus 8/1, Jockey: Paul Townend, Trainer: Willie Mullins
- 2nd - Gevrey 28/1, Jockey: Brian Hayes, Trainer: Gordon Elliott
- 3rd - Defi Bleu 28/1, Jockey: Gavin Brouder, Trainer: Gordon Elliott
- 4th - Dolcita 33/1, Jockey: Danny Mullins, Trainer: Willie Mullins
2022 - Lord Lariat
Lord Lariat followed Freewheelin Dylan's extraordinary success a year earlier by causing another shock at Fairyhouse, albeit not one of quite the same magnitude. The Dermot McLoughlin-trained outsider was sent off at hefty odds of 40-1 but travelled smoothly through the marathon contest under 7lb claimer Paddy O'Hanlon. Frontal Assault made much of the running and still had the field chasing as they entered the home straight. Lord Lariat joined him and began to pull clear from the second-last, eventually powering home by almost five lengths. The victory made McLoughlin the first trainer in almost half a century to win the race twice in succession – and at truly staggering double odds too after his 150/1 success a year earlier.
- 1st - Lord Lariat 40/1, Jockey: Paddy O’Hanlon, Trainer: Dermot McLoughlin
- 2nd - Frontal Assault 18/1, Jockey: Jack Kennedy, Trainer: Gordon Elliott
- 3rd - Gaillard Du Mesnil 11/2F, Jockey: Paul Townend, Trainer: Willie Mullins
- 4th - Screaming Colours 18/1, Jockey: Mr J J Codd, Trainer: William Durkan
2021 - Freewheelin Dylan
An unbelievable shock in this renewal of the Fairyhouse marathon as Freewheelin Dylan won at odds of 150-1. The complete outsider was ridden positively by Ricky Doyle, who sent him straight to the front and established a rhythm that proved impossible for his rivals to disrupt. The leader continued to jump fluently throughout the three-mile-five-furlong contest, while the chasing pack struggled to make an impact. Run Wild Fred emerged as the main threat turning for home, but could not get on terms, hindered by a sloppy landing over the last that cost him valuable momentum. A good day for the bookies no doubt but an even better one for Doyle and the team behind him.
- 1st - Freewheelin Dylan 150/1, Jockey: Ricky Doyle, Trainer: Dermot McLoughlin
- 2nd - Run Wild Fred 9/1, Jockey: Jack Kennedy, Trainer: Mrs Denise Foster
- 3rd - Enjoy D’allen 40/1, Jockey: Conor Orr, Trainer: Ciaran Murphy
- 4th - Latest Exhibition 9/2F, Jockey: Bryan Cooper, Trainer: Paul Nolan
2020 - Cancelled
There was no Irish Grand National in 2020 after the race was cancelled because of the coronavirus pandemic. It was only the third cancellation in the race's 150-year history at the time. The previous occasions came in 1919 and 1941, due to WWI and WWII respectively.
2019 - Burrows Saint
Willie Mullins finally ended his long wait for an Irish Grand National victory when Burrows Saint led home a stable one-two-three, weeks after also ending his Cheltenham Gold Cup hoodoo. Total Recall, another Mullins entry, set the pace, which allowed Whisperinthebreeze to build a nice lead during the final circuit. As he began to weaken though, the Mullins trio reeled him in and by the time of the last, it had become a three-horse, one-trainer contest. Any them could have won it but Burrows Saint had enough to repel the challenges, leaving Isleofhopendreams to settle for second once again.
- 1st - Burrows Saint 6/1F, Jockey: Ruby Walsh, Trainer: Willie Mullins
- 2nd - Isleofhopendreams 20/1, Jockey: Willie Mullins, Trainer: Danny Mullins
- 3rd - Acapella Bourgeois 18/1, Jockey: Willie Mullins, Trainer: Jonathan Burke
- 4th - Snugsborough Benny 14/1, Jockey: Denis O’Regan, Trainer: Liam Cussack
2018 - General Principle
Gordon Elliott finally secured his first Irish Grand National victory when General Principle prevailed in a dramatic finish. The gelding got up close home to narrowly beat Willie Mullins' Isleofhopendreams in a photo finish. It looked for much of the contest as though Mullins would finally break his barren Irish National spell through Bellshill, who travelled strongly and had every chance approaching the finish. However, he tired and ran into trouble at the last, almost refusing the fence. With the win’s €175,000 prize money swing, Elliot took apparent control in the Irish Champion Trainer race, though Mullins won in the end.
- 1st - General Principle (IRE) 20/1, Jockey: J J Slevin, Trainer: Gordon Elliott
- 2nd - Isleofhopendreams 16/1, Jockey: Danny Mullins, Trainer: Willie Mullins
- 3rd - Forever Gold (IRE) 20/1, Jockey: Adam Short, Trainer: Edward Cawley
2017 - Our Duke
Our Duke gave Jessica Harrington her first victory in this race only a month after she had trained Sizing John to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup. Sent off a well-backed favourite, Our Duke was prominent from the start and was part of a leading trio who were out in front around the penultimate turn. Two of the three, Fletchers Flyer and Stellar Notion, faded badly but Our Duke kept on going. Although his lead was slashed by the time of the home straight, the favourite had so much in reserve he began to ease ahead two fences out.
- 1st - Our Duke (IRE) 9/2F, Jockey: Robbie Power, Trainer: Mrs John Harrington
- 2nd - Bless The Wings (IRE) 12/1, Jockey: Jack Kennedy, Trainer: Gordon Elliott
- 3rd - Abolitionist (IRE) 14/1, Jockey: Rachael Blackmore, Trainer: Miss Ellmarie Holden
2016
- 1st - Rogue Angel (IRE) 16/1, Jockey: Ger Fox, Trainer: Michael F. Morris
- 2nd - Bless The Wings (IRE) 12/1, Jockey: Ruby Walsh, Trainer: Gordon Elliott
- 3rd - Ballyadam Approach (IRE) 33/1, Jockey: David Splaine, Trainer: Terrence O'Brien
2015
- 1st - Sword Fish (IRE) 9/2, Jockey: Mark Walsh, Trainer: Christy Roche
- 2nd - Thelobstercatcher 9/1, Jockey: Brian Hayes, Trainer: Pat A. Fahy
- 3rd - Montana Slim (IRE) 4/1J, Jockey: Shane Crimin, Trainer: Michael O'Hare
2014
- 1st - Pineau De Re (FR) 25/1, Jockey: Leighton Aspell, Trainer: Dr Richard Newland
- 2nd - Balthazar King (IRE) 14/1, Jockey: Richard Johnson, Trainer: Philip Hobbs
- 3rd - Double Seven (IRE) 10/1J, Jockey: A P McCoy, Trainer: Martin Brassil