Soldier In Milan Stuns Rivals with Impressive Irish Grand National Victory

In a remarkable display of speed and agility, 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 favourite in a Grade Three novice chase at Thurles last month, Soldier In Milan was well-supported at 6-1 and lived up to expectations, racing prominently throughout under jockey Donagh Meyler. Taking the lead from British challenger Monbeg Genius, Soldier In Milan asserted his dominance, leaving his rivals in his wake after the heavy fall of chief market rival Kiss Will. Showurappreciation and The Enabler attempted to close the gap, but Soldier In Milan proved unstoppable, crossing the finish line with an impressive 16 lengths to spare. His victory earned him a quote of 33-1 for next year's Cheltenham Gold Cup with some bookmakers. "It hasn't sunk in yet. I was pinching myself when I was jumping the last fence, he was jumping and travelling smoothly," Mullins said. "My biggest concern was bypassing the fourth-last fence and taking the lead. I had warned Donagh to wait as long as possible, and he executed it perfectly, it was a brilliant ride." Mullins also expressed his delight at the horse's performance, saying, "Leaving out a hurdle campaign was a risk, but we hoped he had the class to overcome his inexperience. He was fit and well, and I'm thrilled with the result." When asked about a potential Gold Cup campaign, Mullins remained cautious, stating, "He's a classy individual, but this has been a route to the Aintree Grand National in the past. We won't make any decisions just yet." In another notable performance, dual Queen Mother Champion Chase winner Energumene proved he still has what it takes with a commanding victory in the Underwriting Exchange Fairyhouse Chase. The 12-year-old veteran, trained by Willie Mullins, stepped up to two and a half miles for the first time since November 2020 and thrived, travelling strongly throughout to score by six lengths from stablemate Blood Destiny. Mullins praised Energumene's performance, saying, "I'm amazed he could put in such a display at 12 years old. I'm delighted with Blood Destiny too, and my condolences go to the connections of Saint Sam, who suffered a fatal injury during the race." Energumene is expected to return to the Punchestown Festival, with a decision on his future to be made after that.