Moore To Farm National Prize

There is a myth that the premier long-distance handicap chases are best left to older legs, and that raw youngsters will be found wanting by both the demands on stamina and the rough nature of such events, but that myth has been exploded time and again in the Irish Grand National, where it may surprise many to discover than no less than 77 of the 141 runnings have gone to a horse aged 7 or younger.

Arthur Moore won this contest in 2011 with the 6-y-o Organisedconfusion, the ninth in that age bracket to have won since 1950, and he has a horse in similar mould this year. Like Organisedconfusion, Home Farm hails from a noted staying chase family, his grand-dam Masterstown Lucy better known as the dam of Gold Cup winner Jodami. He also has wasted little time over hurdles before switching to fences, and has shown rapid improvement in a short space of time.

It may only have been a maiden chase he won at Fairyhouse in February, but it was a pretty warm one for the time of year, with his rivals including yesterday's Powers Gold Cup winner Realt Mor, White Star Line, and Marasonnien in opposition. David Casey gave the big gelding what might be called an educational ride, and the son of Presenting jumped with accuracy and enthusiasm in mid-field. When not asked to press on when the pace lifted initially, it looked like Home Farm would finish a respectable fourth or fifth, but after Casey switched to the inner with 2 to jump, his mount really took hold of the bridle, and rose just in front at the last before clearing right away under no more than a hand ride.

That form is hard to knock, with the runner-up going on to finish third in the JLT at Cheltenham, but it's what we didn't see which makes Home Farm so interesting - he's bred to stay well beyond the 21f he tackled that day, and was not asked for maximum effort by his jockey, so there looks to be plenty left to come, and I can't help but feel that an opening mark of 137 may look very lenient in time. Never mind his tender years, and believe in his huge potential.

At Newcastle, it may pay to side with Chris Grant's Leyland in the 15:55, a race which is bigger in numbers than quality. The Peintre Celebre gelding was a fairly useful Flat winner for Dermot Weld last autumn, and showed that he could win races in his new role when fourth in a handicap hurdle at Sedgefield last time. He looked rather unlucky there, in a clear lead when a bad stumble after the second last cost him momentum, and then hampered at the last. He's worth another chance to prove his mark is a lenient one.

Recommendations:

Back Home Farm in the 16:50 Fairyhouse @ [12.5] (NAP)

Back Leyland in the 15:55 Newcastle @ [7.0] (NB)