Soldier In Milan Stuns Rivals with Impressive Irish Grand National Win

In a remarkable display of skill and determination, Soldier In Milan defied his lack of experience to secure a stunning victory 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 successful bumper at Punchestown Festival last spring and four runs over fences this season. 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, racing at the forefront throughout under jockey Donagh Meyler. After taking the lead from British contender Monbeg Genius, Soldier In Milan demonstrated his impressive prowess, tanking his way to the third fence from home and leaving his nearest rival Kiss Will in the dust after a heavy fall. Showurappreciation and The Enabler attempted to close the gap, but neither could match the winner's pace, allowing Soldier In Milan to cross the finish line with an impressive 16 lengths to spare. This victory has earned him a quote of 33-1 for next year's Cheltenham Gold Cup with some bookmakers. Mullins expressed his delight, stating, 'It hasn't really sunk in yet. I was pinching myself jumping the last with a lap to go; he was jumping and traveling smoothly.' He credited jockey Donagh Meyler with a brilliant ride, saying, 'I warned him to wait as long as possible if everything was going right. He executed it perfectly.' Mullins acknowledged that bypassing a hurdle campaign was a risk but was thrilled that Soldier In Milan's class and inexperience had paid off. The trainer also revealed that the plan had been to keep the horse's mileage low and qualify for the Irish National, which was 'well-executed.' When asked about 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. We won't commit to anything just yet.' In another notable performance, dual Queen Mother Champion Chase winner Energumene proved he still has what it takes with a resounding victory in the Underwriting Exchange Fairyhouse Chase. The 12-year-old veteran, trained by Willie Mullins and ridden by Paul Townend, traveled strongly throughout and scored by six lengths from stablemate Blood Destiny. Mullins was amazed by Energumene's performance, saying, 'I'm just amazed that he could put in such a show today. I'm delighted with Blood Destiny too, and very sorry for Saint Sam and his connections.' Energumene is likely to have an entry in the Punchestown Festival before a decision is made on whether he will race on next season.