Gordon Elliott to saddle ten runners in Easter Monday’s Irish National at Fairyhouse

GORDON ELLIOTT trains 10 of the 30 runners set to go to post for the BoyleSports Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse.

Elliott is over 350,000 euros clear of Willie Mullins in the race to be crowned this season’s champion National Hunt trainer in Ireland and with a total prize fund of 500,000 euro up for grabs, he could potentially seal the deal in the feature event on Easter Monday.

The weights are headed by Lord Scoundrel, while Noble Endeavor, Tiger Roll and last year’s runner-up Bless The Wings are also part of the formidable Elliott-trained squad.

An incredible 14 runners will carry the colours of Michael O’Leary’s Gigginstown House Stud.

Mullins has three representatives in Haymount, Arbre De Vie and Sambremont as he bids to claw back some of the deficit ahead of the upcoming Punchestown Festival.

Jessica Harrington’s Our Duke heads the betting, despite having run just three times over fences.

Mouse Morris saddles the last two winners of the race in Thunder And Roses and Rogue Angel, both of whom failed to complete in last week’s Grand National at Aintree.

There is another previous winner in the field in Shutthefrontdoor, who struck gold in 2014 for Jonjo O’Neill and JP McManus.

Other leading hopes left in include the Eddie Harty-trained Minella Foru, Ellmarie Holden’s Abolitionist and Harry Fry’s British challenger Fletchers Flyer.

Oscar Knight, Mystical Knight and Another Hero are the three reserves.