Willie Mullins and Gordon Elliott vs the rest: who can strike a blow against the dominant duo?

There's a temptation to view the BoyleSports Irish Grand National as a case of Gordon Elliott and Willie Mullins against the rest. With ten of the 21 runners between them, and having supplied the first four home in an attritional race last season, it's a good starting point.

It looks as if Mullins has got the hang of this race after three decades as a trainer. He won it for the first time with Burrows Saint in 2019 and doubled his score courtesy of I Am Maximus last season. Both horses were novices, a status shared by his two high-weighted contenders this time. Paul Townend, who rode a masterful race on a not-wholly-cooperative I Am Maximus, partners Nick Rockett, who has run only three times over fences. 

He won a Grade 2 novice hurdle by 15 lengths at last year's Easter meeting and is a course winner of a beginners' chase. Running off a mark 3lb below the 149 that I Am Maximus coped with, he gives trainer-rider a strong chance of a repeat success.