Bookies Prepare as Irish Grand National Approaches
Horse racing is a popular sport in many parts of the world, but it has a particular affinity with Ireland. There is just no doubt that the Irish not only love their horses but also love their horse racing! Due to this, the Irish Grand National is always one of the biggest events on the country’s racing calendar.
2023’s Irish Grand National is not far away and is set to take place on Monday 10th April at the Fairyhouse track. Set for a 17:00 PM start, and with a €500,000 prize pot, this latest edition of the most iconic national hunt race in Ireland is sure to be a cracker. With plenty of people expected to bet on the outcome, it is also an event that the bookies are starting to prepare for.
Irish Grand National attracts lots of bets
The sports betting scene in Ireland has always been vibrant and this is very true for wagering on horse racing. As in the UK, the most famous races attract most of the attention and see even more people than normal getting involved. A good example of this is the stats around the 2019 English Grand National at Aintree, which saw a huge £300 million staked on the race!
This kind of attention is also something that the Irish Grand National sees and it should, therefore, mean that the bookies will be pretty busy again this year. Due to this, they are already making plans to ensure they can cope when punters flock to back the horse they think will win.
This ranges from ensuring their online sportsbooks and apps can cope with the extra demand to calculating the latest odds for the event and posting updated content about the race itself on their websites/apps/social media channels.
Dermot Heathcote, of Irish online casino and sports betting review site irishluck.ie, stated that “The Irish Grand National is such an iconic event in horse racing that bookies will be keen to prepare for it and not miss out on the action.”
Which horses are the bookies picking out for the Irish Grand National?
Part of the bookies’ preparation for this 3m5f race over 22 fences will be to set odds for each horse and look at who the likely winners might be. This not only allows them to set sensible odds for the race in advance but also to offer betting insights to punters.
But which horses are consistently coming up in the bookies’ tips for this famous event? Although the final list has not yet been confirmed from the 63 potential runners, there are some which stand out.
Last year’s winner, Lord Lariat, may have something of a question mark over his appearance, with a chance to race in the English Grand National on offer?but he would be a strong favorite if he did race.
Thedevilscoachman is another early favorite with bookies as they prepare for this race. He has back-to-back Grade 3 wins on his record and is ahead of the handicapper in many people’s eyes. This could well give him the edge to emerge victorious.
Panda Boy is another horse that is being talked about a lot and could see the bookies ready to take plenty of money on. A 3rd place finish in the Paddy Power Chase during December 2022 bodes well and shows he can excel in large-field events.
Bookies getting ready for a spectacle of racing at Fairyhouse
Although the Irish Grand National is the main event bookies are preparing for at Fairyhouse in early April, it is actually part of a 3-day spectacle of racing at the course. As a result, they will also be making preparations to draw up odds and take bets on the other top races involved in the 3-day Easter Festival.
The opening day on April 8th, 2023, for example, features the RYBO Handicap Hurdle, which should see punters placing lots of bets on the potential winner. The second day of the festival should be even busier for bookies, as there is the Grade 1 Gold Cup Novice Chase and Grade 1 Mares’ Novice Hurdle. When you also add in the excitement over the Iris Grand National on April 10th, you can see why the bookmakers are getting ready in advance for this 3-day festival.
Irish Grand National a big event for bookmakers
When you take a look at the racing calendar for Ireland and the UK, it is clear to see what a big deal the Irish Grand National is. This is certainly true for bookmakers, who know it is a race that attracts lots of media attention, lots of interest from punters, and lots of bets. Due to this, they will already be looking ahead to the race itself and making all the preparations they need to be ready for it.
