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This is one of those calm-before-the-storm weekends. The GAA is on a club championship health kick (in certain counties anyway) and the rugby giants are getting ready for the Champions Cup semi-finals. Pretty soon we won’t know ourselves with the matches coming thick and fast but for now we’ll pause and consider the sport of kings.
We have a horse race this Saturday and while I’m prone to a harmless bet now and again, I’ve never had the winner of the Grand National. I’ve tried backing favourites, Ruby, stables and jockeys in form; I’ve gone on the weights, good form around Aintree – I’ve even listened to what Ted Walsh inevitably tips up the night before.
Still no winner.
For this week’s column, I perused the runners and riders but I couldn’t get the league just gone by and the championship in front of us out of my head. The GAA blood always flows and that’s a good thing. Then it hit me. If I mix the two, I can apply GAA logic to the race and that will give me the winner. Bear with me.
If I was from Kerry I’d have to have a few euro on Splash Of Ginge as a hat-tip to the Gooch. In fact it, usually is a General Principle to back Kerry. Both are available at 50/1 but despite many happy years there, I am not from the Kingdom.
If I was from the Premier then Delusionsofgrandeur appeals after last Sunday. But then looking at Padraic Maher at the final whistle, I was tempted by Wounded Warrior, and how such men are dangerous come championship time. Best not to write them off. Both are around 66/1 and if someone gave me those odds on Tipp winning the All-Ireland, I’d take their arm off.
Had I been born in Meath, then as a Royal I’d be thinking about Regal Encore; he’s about 33/1 and that’s about right for Meath footballers to come back right now. A long shot.
I wasn’t born in lovely Mayo but sometimes I feel their pain as a neutral and can only wonder how deep that ache is for a native. The last few years will be etched in their minds that Total Recall (10/1) is a curse. But he might be favourite, comes from a great stable and we know he has the class to win it. Where have we heard that before? All Mayo need is that Final Nudge (50/1). Will it arrive in 2018? I hope so. It’s a Mysteree (66/1) to me why they have not passed the line first since 1951. If one of those wins at Aintree, then the hex is definitely lifted.
Galway isn’t my home place either but it’s close by and they’re in a very good place now. In fact, in hurling and football, they look like the Perfect Candidate – maybe that 66/1 is value for the double this summer? It might be on Saturday.
While not hailing from Donegal either, I’ve always had a grá for the place. The people there are warm and always Pleasant Company (25/1). They and the horse might surprise.
Davy has Wexford revved up since he arrived down there and these next few months and weeks could be huge for them. He has, however, awoken the snoozing (not sleeping) giant that is Kilkenny; the battle lines drawn for their upcoming tussle in Nowlan Park.
On the sideline that day it will be The (relatively) Young Master (40/1) up against The Last Samurai (14/1) and that too should be one of the ages.
All those that were writing off the Cats after two league games are back on the bandwagon and talking All-Irelands. Not so fast, lads. Kilkenny are contenders for sure, but the jury isn’t in just yet. There are a lot of hands that haven’t been played yet.
I Just Know (25/1) there will be a kick in the likes of my closest neighbours Limerick, who have trumps to come back into their squad from Na Piarsaigh and momentum bubbling close to the surface. They’re a bet to do something this year – it just mightn’t be the summit.
The only place to Buywise (50/1) on that front of course is probably the Dublin footballers. But this year more than ever they appear a little vulnerable. Always beatable in the five finals they have won in recent years, all by one score, these last few months have seen indications that there is trouble in paradise. Whatever is happening with Diarmuid Connolly is a case in point. The Road To Riches (50/1) is paved with footballers of his ability. They need their Rogue Angel (66/1) back and concentrated on football. With him, the Dubs could still struggle. Take him away from the panel permanently and it’s Out Sam (50/1) for the champions.
If it’s not Mayo, Kerry or Galway to take advantage of the Dubs running out of road, who could surprise us? Well there’s usually a team that are distinctly unimpressive at league time who then become the butterflies of the summer. This time last year plenty were talking up Tyrone and they are gone silent. They didn’t really raise a gallop in the spring. I think their Vieux Lion Rouge (33/1) might be working off a two-stop strategy this year and there is none cuter than Harte at doing it. Keep an eye on them and the horse.
I’m not from Laois, who could always do with two Munnellys, so it can’t be Double Ross (50/1) and while Louth and Down can each lay claim to Carlingford Lough (50/1), they will be both be on the shores early this summer. But I’m still no closer to picking the winner.
We can’t forget that I’m a Clare man and proud of it. This year our footballers comfortably survived the rarefied air of Division 2 and our manager Colm Collins is doing an exceptional job with his young team. I won’t lose the run of myself, we’ll probably win Munster, beating Kerry on the way but possibly fall short in the All-Ireland final.
Our hurlers are due. This is the year we put it all together again. This new look championship is made for us: we’ll sail through Munster unbeaten, taking out Wexford (quarter-final), Kilkenny (semi-final) and Galway in the All-Ireland final.
And there you have the winner of Saturday’s Grand National, my friends: Relentless Dreamer (66/1). Best of luck to all. CL
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