Soldier In Milan Stuns Rivals with Impressive Victory in Irish Grand National

In a remarkable display of skill and endurance, 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 under the expert guidance of jockey Donagh Meyler. After taking the lead from British contender Monbeg Genius, Soldier In Milan demonstrated his impressive jumping ability and cruised to a 16-length victory, earning him a quote of 33-1 for next year's Cheltenham Gold Cup. An overjoyed Emmet Mullins praised the horse's incredible performance, stating, 'It hasn't really sunk in yet. I was pinching myself jumping the last with a lap to go, he was jumping and travelling smoothly.' Mullins also commended jockey Donagh Meyler's brilliant ride, saying, 'I had warned Donagh to wait as long as he could if everything was going right. He executed everything perfectly.' The victory has sparked hopes of a potential Gold Cup campaign, although Mullins remains cautious, saying, 'We won't nail our colours to the mast just yet.' In another notable performance, the veteran Energumene proved he still has what it takes with a resounding victory in the Underwriting Exchange Fairyhouse Chase. The 12-year-old, trained by Willie Mullins, claimed the two-mile chasing crown at the Cheltenham Festival in 2022 and 2023 and demonstrated his enduring ability and enthusiasm for the game. Stepping up to two and a half miles for the first time since November 2020, Energumene was a 9-4 chance in the hands of Paul Townend and travelled strongly throughout, scoring by six lengths from stablemate Blood Destiny. Mullins expressed his amazement at Energumene's performance, saying, 'I don't know what he's on at 12 years of age, but I'm going to get some of it! I'm just amazed that he could put in such a performance today.'