Irish Grand National field gets huge shake-up as 14 of the top 20 in the weights come out at confirmations stage

Monday's BoyleSports Irish Grand National (5.00) has a significantly different shape to it following the confirmations stage, with 14 of the first 20 runners at the head of the weights taken out on Wednesday.

The €270,000 race attracted 78 initial entries, but many of those, including last year's winner Intense Raffles and the first five home in this month's Randox Grand National – Nick Rockett, I Am Maximus, Grangeclare West, Iroko and Meetingofthewaters – are no longer among the 49 runners still in contention.

The Gordon Elliott-trained Better Days Ahead now heads the weights, followed by Sean Doyle's Monbeg Park and the Willie Mullins-trained High Class Hero and Quai De Bourbon. Klarc Kent, who is not guaranteed a run, and Sa Majeste are the other options for Mullins, while Elliott could still run as many as 11.

Ante-post favourite Haiti Couleurs remains in contention for Rebecca Curtis, while the Jonjo and AJ O'Neill-trained pair Johnnywho and Hasthing, Mel Rowley's Welsh Grand National winner Val Dancer and the Lucinda Russell-trained Inis Oirr are the other representatives still standing from Britain (Val Dancer, Hasthing and Inis Oirr are not guaranteed a run).

Better Days Ahead: heads weights in Irish Grand NationalCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

Matthew Smith's Moonovercloon is the final horse guaranteed a run in a maximum field of 30, with Peter Fahey's well-supported Canal End seven places away from a guaranteed run, having been 63rd on the original list of entries.

Sponsors BoyleSports have installed Haiti Couleurs as the 6-1 favourite following the confirmations, with the Gavin Cromwell-trained Now Is The Hour next best in the market at 8-1. Now Is The Hour fell at the second-last fence in the National Hunt Chase, a race Haiti Couleurs won at last month's Cheltenham Festival.

High Class Hero and Johnnywho, who finished second in the Kim Muir at Cheltenham, are next in at 10-1, ahead of a host of runners at 12-1 – Better Days Ahead, Daily Present, Canal End and Kinturk Kalanisi.

Irish Grand National: who is guaranteed a run?

1 Better Days Ahead
2 Monbeg Park
3 High Class Hero
4 Quai De Bourbon
5 Johnnywho
6 Bioluminescence
7 Harry Des Ongrais
8 Duffle Coat
9 Favori De Champdou
10 Search For Glory
11 Sequestered
12 Desertmore House
13 Malina Girl
14 Panda Bay
15 Yeah Man
16 Haiti Couleurs
17 Now Is The Hour
18 Shecouldbeanything
19 Sa Majeste
20 Any Second Now
21 Lord Lariat
22 Stuzzikini
23 Tullybeg
24 Daily Present
25 Mint Boy
26 Dunboyne
27 Final Orders
28 Kinturk Kalanisi
29 Bushmans Pass
30 Moonovercloon

Not guaranteed a run: Another Choice, Hasthing, Noble Birth, Val Dancer, Will Do, Macs Charm, Canal End, Cleatus Poolaw, Fortunedefortunata, History Of Fashion, Outside The Door, Jumping Jet, Union Station, Klarc Kent, Prince Palace, Aworkinprogress, Inis Oirr, Brandt, The Gradual Slope.

BoyleSports Irish Grand National (5.00 Fairyhouse, Monday)

BoyleSports: 6 Haiti Couleurs, 8 Now Is The Hour, 10 High Class Hero, Johnnywho, 12 Better Days Ahead, Canal End, Daily Present, Kinturk Kalanisi, 14 Malina Girl, 16 Quai De Bourbon, 20 bar.

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