150/1 shot Freewheelin Dylan wins the Irish Grand National
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Freewheelin Dylan ridden by Ricky Doyle goes on to win The BoyleSports Irish Grand National Chase - at 150/1!
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Grand National week started with a huge shock when Freewheelin Dylan, a 150-1 shot, lived up to his name and make all the running to win the Irish equivalent, the Boylesports Irish National, at Fairyhouse on Monday.
Front running is all about the jumping and every time the nine-year-old, trained locally by Dermot McLoughlin and ridden by Ricky Doyle, looked like getting swamped by more fancied horses he would take another length out of the field with his jumping.
UPDATED 8:57PM, APR 5 2021
The magic of the BoyleSports Irish Grand National waved its wand once again to produce yet another astonishing tale, with the Dermot McLoughlin-trained Freewheelin Dylan becoming the biggest-priced winner in the race s history at 150-1 under an ecstatic Ricky Doyle.
It took the Sheila Mangan-owned winner roughly the same distance to travel to the behind-closed-doors Fairyhouse highlight on Easter Monday as it did for him to gallop into the race s history books, with the local success meaning the fulfilment of a lifetime ambition for the trainer.
McLoughlin was following in the footsteps of his late father Liam, who rode Kerforo to victory in the 1962 edition, and if ever there was a jumping performance to exemplify the spirit of an Irish Grand National winner, this was it.
150-1 winner of Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse as Freewheelin Dylan storms to glory
Huge outsider proves unstoppable at Fairyhouse under inspired Ricky Doyle. By Press Association Monday 5 Apr 2021, 5:30 PM 6 hours ago 30,042 Views 22 Comments
FREEWHEELIN DYLAN CAUSED a seismic shock with a 150-1 victory in the Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse. Ricky Doyle celebrates winning with Freewheelin Dylan Source: Morgan Treacy/INPHO
Dermot McLoughlin’s charge was widely unconsidered for the €400,000 showpiece on what was his first appearance since finishing last of eight runners at Punchestown in October.
However, ridden brilliantly by Ricky Doyle, the nine-year-old was in front after jumping the first fence and was never headed.
Updated / Monday, 5 Apr 2021
19:02
Freewheelin Dylan and Ricky Doyle jumps the last en route to victory
A stunning front-running performance from Freewheelin Dylan produced a shock 150-1 success in the BoyleSports Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse.
Given a brilliant ride by Ricky Doyle, the Dermot McLoughlin-trained nine-year-old was always travelling well and although the challengers loomed, he never looked like buckling.
Run Wild Fred got closest, a length and a quarter away, with Enjoy D allen another three lengths back in third and 9-2 favourite Latest Exhibition a creditable fourth under the welter burden of 11st 10lb.
At odds of 150-1 Freewheelin Dylan has won the Boylesports Irish Grand National for trainer Dermot McLoughlin and jockey Ricky Doyle #BoyleSportsIGN@Fairyhouse#rteracing@RTE2@RTEplayerpic.twitter.com/fiYMncsisT
UPDATED 7:26PM, APR 5 2021
Ireland s champion trainer Willie Mullins will give Paul Townend every possible chance to prove his fitness in time for this weekend’s Grand National meeting at Aintree after the champion jockey injured his right foot in a fall at Fairyhouse on Sunday.
Townend was forced to sit out Monday’s BoyleSports Irish Grand National – won by 150-1 shot Freewheelin Dylan – having suffered a heavy fall from Egality Mans, and was replaced on Agusta Gold by Danny Mullins.
The trainer said: “Paul is going to have another visit with his doctor during the week. We re going to take it bit by bit and see how he s going before we make any firm decisions.”