Thorough stayer Riverside City out to snap losing sequence

3.15 Fairyhouse
BoyleSports €500,000 Irish Grand National April 17th Handicap Chase | 3m1f | ATR

As the race title suggests, there ought to be some Irish Grand National clues on offer here and 2015 Troytown Chase winner Riverside City, a thorough stayer, is out to end a losing sequence that stretches back to that big day at Navan over a year ago.

Riverside City has been pulled up twice in his last six starts, including in the Irish Grand National won by Rogue Angel last March. However, there was more sign of life at this venue last time, when he finished a more encouraging fourth behind Forever Gold.

Keith Donoghue takes the ride on Riverside City, who races off a mark of 120, just 5lb higher than his Troytown triumph.

Karl Thornton has his team in top form, with Duke Cass winning twice within the space of four days, and the Skerries trainer is represented here by Bearly Legal.

Age no barrier

Four of the last six renewals have been won by a horse aged in double figures

What they say

Karl Thornton, trainer of Bearly Legal
He worked really well last Friday and was supposed to go to Leopardstown earlier this week but he was just a bit stiff on Christmas Day so we had to give that a miss, give him some extra time and come here instead. He seems fine now and the ground ought to suit him.

Gordon Elliott, trainer of Riverside City
The softer the ground, the better his chance. He stays very well and is all about stamina. I thought he ran quite well at the track last time so I'd be quite hopeful of a decent show from him.

Phillip Dempsey, trainer of Whatareudoingtome
It's probably a better race than the one he was fourth in at Punchestown, but he did make a mistake at the last that day so might have finished a bit closer but for that.

Shane Ryder, trainer of Garrai Phaidin
We're a few pounds better off with Back Before Dawn, but he looked to have plenty in hand when winning at Thurles. We're well exposed and he'll need to jump as well as he can around Fairyhouse. There looks to be a few unexposed types in there, most notably Irish Bulletin.