Soldier In Milan Stuns Rivals with Impressive Irish Grand National Victory

In a remarkable display of speed and agility, Soldier In Milan overcame his limited 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 at the Punchestown Festival bumper last spring. Despite being beaten as a favorite in a Grade Three novice chase at Thurles last month, Soldier In Milan was heavily backed to win the Easter Monday feature, and he did not disappoint. Under the skilled guidance of jockey Donagh Meyler, he took the lead from British contender Monbeg Genius and never looked back, eventually crossing the finish line with an impressive 16 lengths to spare. The victory has earned Soldier In Milan a quote of 33-1 for next year's Cheltenham Gold Cup with several bookmakers. A thrilled Mullins praised the performance, saying, 'It hasn't really sunk in yet. I was pinching myself as we approached the final lap, he was jumping and traveling so smoothly.' When asked about the biggest challenge, Mullins revealed, 'The biggest worry was taking the lead too early, but Donagh executed everything perfectly, it was a brilliant ride.' The trainer also expressed his delight with the horse's performance, saying, 'Leaving out a hurdle campaign was a risk, but we always hoped he had the class to overcome his inexperience.' Mullins added, 'He was fit and well, and I'm keeping my fingers crossed that we can get him back to 100 percent again soon.' The win was met with great enthusiasm, with Mullins describing it as 'an honor and a privilege' to have a well-backed favorite win the Irish National. When questioned about potential future plans, including a possible Gold Cup campaign, Mullins remained cautious, saying, 'He's a classy individual, but we won't make any decisions just yet.' In another notable performance, the veteran Energumene, trained by Willie Mullins, secured an emphatic victory in the Underwriting Exchange Fairyhouse Chase. The 12-year-old, who has won the Queen Mother Champion Chase twice, demonstrated his enduring ability and enthusiasm, traveling strongly throughout the two-and-a-half-mile contest and scoring by six lengths from stablemate Blood Destiny. Mullins expressed his amazement at Energumene's performance, saying, 'I'm just amazed that he could put in such a display today. I'm delighted with Blood Destiny too, and my condolences go out to the connections of Saint Sam.' Energumene is expected to have an entry at the Punchestown Festival, with a decision on his future to be made after that.