The Ferdy Murphy-Adrian Maguire team are rated 7 to 1 favourites to win their second Grand National prize in nine days with Ackzo in the Powers Gold Label Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse on Monday.
Ackzo has been made the market leader by Cashmans, who have the horse a point longer than another English-trained horse, the Welsh National winner Edmond.
Paddy Power also make Ackzo favourite and have installed him as low as 6 to 1 with Edmond a 14 to 1 chance.
Murphy and Maguire combined to score in the Scottish version with Paris Pike last weekend, and the bookmakers take the view that the first Irish Grand National of the millennium is destined for export.
Murphy has confirmed Ackzo a Fairyhouse runner, and although Edmond is a renowned mudlark, his trainer, Henry Daly, was yesterday making positive noises about making the journey too.
'We're told the ground at Fairyhouse is yielding, and if it stays like that I would be quite happy to run. Fairyhouse does drain quickly but showers are forecast,' said Daly, who nevertheless is playing a cautious hand.
'We've waited so long to run him that we don't want to do anything stupid now.'
Ackzo will travel to Fairyhouse on the back of an National success also having landed the Midlands version at Uttoxeter by seven lengths from Flaked Oats on his first start in blinkers.
The market reflects the likelihood of a strong cross-sea challenge with 10 of the 31 entries remaining trained in Britain.
They include the Grand National faller Red Marauder, Jocks Cross and Henry Daly's other candidate, Lancastrian Jet.
Robert Alner is another waiting on the ground, but he's hoping for a better surface for his Kim Muir winner Honey Mount.
'He wouldn't go on the soft, but if it's good or faster he will definitely run,' Alner said yesterday.
'He really wants good to firm and he worked really well this morning.'
Most of the home team are waiting on the decision of Ted Walsh on whether to run the prospective topweight Rince Ri.
Walsh will not run the Aintree hero Papillon in the race, but he hasn't ruled out Rince Ri or, indeed, Commanche Court, who has Tuesday's Powers Gold Cup as an alternative.
Rince Ri's own end-of-term alternative is Punchestown's Heinken Gold Cup, but the possible presence there of Florida Pearl may yet sway Walsh in favour of Fairyhouse. 'It depends on the weights and whether or not Rince Ri will run,' replied a spokesperson for Arthur Moore when questioned if the top novice Native Upmanship will take his chance, but the Naas stable also have last year's runner-up, Feathered Leader, engaged.
A decision on whether the 1998 hero Bobbyjo will make a quick reappearance after his Aintree disappointment this year will be taken later in the week.
He too has Punchestown's Heineken Gold Cup as another option and a lot will depend on the ground.
The Fairyhouse going is currently officially 'yielding'.
Matt Mitchell has been appointed the new Managing Director of the Goffs Bloodstock Sales company. Currently the general manager of the Irish Horseracing Authority's racecoures, Mitchell was previously the head of Irish Thoroughbred Marketing and takes over at Goffs from the recently resigned Philip Myerscough.
CASHMANS: 7 Ackzo, 8 Edmond, 10 Rince Ri, Bobbyjo, Native Upmanship, 12 Red Marauder, Feathered Leader, 14 Foxchapel King, Cavalero, Roses Of Picardy, 16 Commanche Court, Jocks Cross, Saxophone, Native Estates, Honey Mount, Golden Drum, 20 Lancastrian Jet, Hollybank Buck, Sweep Gently, The Quads, 25/1 Bar.
PADDY POWER: 6 Ackzo, 8 Native Upmanship, 10 Rince Ri, Bobbyjo, Feathered Leader, Saxophone, 12 Honey Mount, Hollybank Buck, Red Marauder, 14 Cavalero, Commanche Court, Edmond, Foxchapel King, 16 Bar.
