Intense Raffles© Photo Healy Racing
Twelve years on from Lion Na Bearni, Tom Gibney won the BoyleSports Irish Grand National for the second time when Intense Raffles (13/2) landed the 275,000 Euros first prize in the hands of JJ Slevin.
It was also a second win in the race for Slevin who was on board General Principle in 2018.
The grey by Martaline, now unbeaten in three starts, all at Fairyhouse, since joining Gibney's stable from France, raced close up behind the leader Frontal Assault and hit the front at the third-last. Minella Cocooner and Any Second Now gave chase approaching the last and the latter looked a big threat early on the run-in but Intense Raffles, the first horse Gibney has trained for powerful owners Simon Munir and Isaac Souede, found more to score by a length and a half from Any Second Now.
It was another two and a half lengths back to Minella Cocooner in third with Frontal Assault coming home in fourth place.
"He's a fantastic horse and it's easy to train good horses like that,” said a delighted Gibney.
“Last February was the first time I spoke to them (Simon Munir and Isaac Souede) and fair play to the boys.
“It's very easy for the big owners to go to the big yards and for them to pick out a small stable like us and give us a horse, kudos to them. That takes a bit of doing and it's great to repay them.
“When he won here the last time we were just getting to know him and it's just fallen into place. I could make out like I'm a genius but I'm not really, it's just the way it worked out — it worked out well.
“I had huge confidence in the horse. People were asking me if I was nervous and hand on my heart I wasn't because we had huge confidence in him. He's the best I've had.
“He's just a good horse, when you ride a good horse you just get a feeling that this horse is so much better than the others. That's the feeling I get on him nearly every day I ride him.
“He's only six so who knows where he'll go. It was a dream to win it in 2012, it was so different to today as there was so much expectation today and pressure.
“I want to say thanks to the staff, it's a small outfit with my family, my daughters, my wife and a small local team. There are brilliant and it's great for them, they need it as much as I need it.
“I'm getting hugs and kisses, it feels like a wedding!
“I'm a Meath man and to win it twice is surreal, I'm trying to keep up with Dermot McLoughlin which is no easy task.
“The two lads (Munir and Souede) are on planes and they were hoping to watch it so I hope they did see it.”
Quotes from Gary Carson
