In just over a week’s time, the first of the major domestic spring festivals gets underway at Fairyhouse, where, as ever, pride of place goes to the Boylesports Irish Grand National.

A total of 72 horses were unveiled last week at the initial entry stage for the Easter Monday spectacular. Heading the sponsor’s market, at 10/1, is Gallant Oscar, who is one of six entries for Tony Martin.

Gallant Oscar ran a fine third in a handicap chase at Cheltenham earlier in the month, and the runner-up from that race, the Henry de Bromhead-trained Grand Jesture, is one of his chief rivals for market supremacy at this stage. Traditionally, the Irish National has been a kind race to novice chasers and there is no shortage of likely candidates from this division, with The Job Is Right a notable challenger. He was third to Cause Of Causes in the four-mile national hunt chase at Cheltenham and that race has been a notable springboard to success in this race.

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Furthermore, The Job Is Right’s form in quality handicaps this season entitles him to get closely involved. Also worth a mention is Embracing Change, who completed a four-timer when landing a Grand National Trial at Punchestown last month. Interestingly, his canny trainer Robert Tyner has opted to keep him under wraps since then and it is significant that he has winning form over the National course and distance. He looks a particularly strong contender.

The Flat Pack

Meanwhile, this weekend marks the start of the 2016 Irish flat season, which gets underway with its traditional opening day card at the Curragh. The first fixture should provide plenty of useful pointers for the coming weeks and of obvious interest will be the two-year-old maiden.

Despite its position at the outset of the season, this race tends to be won by a good sort and star juvenile Dawn Approach made a winning debut here in 2012.

In other flat news, it is expected that Adelaide, who won top level events for Aidan O’Brien in America and Australia last year, will return to Europe for a summer campaign.

After his victory in the Cox Plate in Australia last October, Adelaide looked set to continue his career down under, but he could be back in action in Ireland in May. His name appeared amongst 28 entries for the Tattersalls Gold Cup, which will take place at the Curragh on 24 May.

Downpatrick

As expected, the racing was of a decidedly low-key variety over the last week, although Downpatrick played host to its richest race of the year in Sunday’s Ulster National, which fell to Gordon Elliott for the first time.

The trainer’s Riverside City got up on the line to defeat Man With Van, and complete a double on the card for Elliott who needs 14 more winners between now and the end of the Punchestown festival to send out his first century of winners in an Irish national hunt season.