The Irish Grand National Never fails to deliver.
With Willie Mullins and Gordon Elliot combining to saddle 17 of the 30 runner field, the Easter Monday showpiece always looked likely to be heading south to Clonsutton or staying in county Meath.
That was exactly how it turned out with Elliot saddling the winner in General Principle, and the pair accounting for four of the first seven finishers.
The race was wide open coming down to the second last flight in the Ratoath track. Mullins’ Bellshill would have been the favourite in running as he travelled strongly into it under a motionless David Mullins.
There were a number of horses in contention, however, including Joseph O’Brien’s Arkwrisht and Elliot’s Folsom Blue.
On they went to the final flight and that was when Bellshill veered to his left, knocking O’Brien’s horse off course upon landing. The worst affected affected horse, however, appeared to be Folsom Blue, who was also knocked off course but proceeded to finish like a train up the run in.
A belter of an #IrishGrandNational goes to Gordon Elliott's General Principle https://t.co/NR6folcvKz #RTEracing pic.twitter.com/QkgABesVzT
— RTÉ Racing (@RTEracing) April 2, 2018
A few more yards and he would more than likely have edged that tight finish.
He was upgraded to fourth place, with Bellshill demoted to fifth subsequently but that will be of little consolation to connections.
General Principle, ridden by JJ Slevin held on to win it.
Here’s the full result via Racing Post.
