Soldier In Milan Stuns Rivals with Impressive Irish Grand National Victory

In a remarkable display of skill and determination, Soldier In Milan defied his lack of experience to claim a stunning win in the Boyle Sports Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse. Trained by Emmet Mullins, the seven-year-old had only five previous starts under his belt, including a notable success in a Punchestown Festival bumper last spring. Despite being beaten into fourth place as a strong favorite in a Grade Three novice chase at Thurles last month, Soldier In Milan was well-supported at 6-1 and lived up to expectations. Under the expert guidance of jockey Donagh Meyler, he took the lead from British contender Monbeg Genius and never looked back, crossing the finish line with an impressive 16 lengths to spare. His nearest rival, Kiss Will, suffered a heavy fall, leaving Showurappreciation and The Enabler to battle for second place. The victory has earned Soldier In Milan a quote of 33-1 for next year's Cheltenham Gold Cup with some bookmakers. Mullins expressed his delight, saying, 'It hasn't really sunk in yet. I was pinching myself jumping the last with a lap to go, he was jumping and traveling so smoothly.' He praised Meyler's ride, saying, 'I had warned Donagh to wait as long as he could, and he executed everything perfectly.' When asked about leaving out a hurdle campaign, Mullins acknowledged it was a risk but believed Soldier In Milan had the class to overcome his inexperience. He added, 'Fingers crossed, we think he could be a special individual.' Regarding a potential Gold Cup campaign, Mullins remained cautious, saying, 'He's a classy individual, but this has been a route to the Aintree Grand National in the past as well. We won't make any decisions just yet.' In another notable performance, Energumene, a 12-year-old veteran trained by Willie Mullins, claimed an emphatic victory in the Underwriting Exchange Fairyhouse Chase. Despite his advanced age, Energumene showed he still has plenty of ability and enthusiasm, traveling strongly throughout the two and a half miles and scoring by six lengths from stablemate Blood Destiny. Mullins was thrilled with the result, saying, 'I'm amazed he could put in such a performance today. I'm delighted with Blood Destiny too, and sorry for Saint Sam and his connections.' Energumene is likely to return to the Punchestown Festival before a decision is made on his future racing career.