Horantzau poised to be memorable first chase runner for Keady

Michael Keady faces a nervous wait to see if Horantzau d’Airy can make his stable debut in the Randox Grand National, with a previous Aintree winner in Ciaran Gethings booked for the ride.

The Newmarket handler, who struck with his very first runner at Southwell in December, is predominantly a Flat trainer and is yet to saddle a runner in his own name over fences, but is willing for that to happen on the grandest stage on April 5.

Previously trained by Willie Mullins, Horantzau d’Airy was purchased with his Grand National entry already in place for 50,000 guineas at the Tattersalls Online March Sale and soon transferred to the heart of Flat racing to tune-up for his big-race goal.

He will now run in the colours of Jim Gill and has been left on the cusp of a guaranteed berth in the Merseyside marathon after Tuesday’s latest confirmation stage.

Keady is now counting down the days to Aintree and has secured the services of last year’s Topham Chase winner Gethings, who is due to school Horantzau d’Airy in Newmarket next week.

The trainer said: “Having a runner in the National at such an early stage of my career would be a dream and if he does run in the National he will be my first runner over fences in my own name – it’s a bit of a whirlwind but we’re enjoying it.

“They have built me a Grand National-style fence up at the schooling grounds in Newmarket and we’re just having to tune him up for the big day now.

“Ciaran Gethings will ride him, he’s a friend of the owner and he won the Topham last year so knows his way round the National course well.

“It seems a good fit and he’s been in to ride the horse out. He’s coming in next week to jump him over the National fences and he’s very much on board helping us prepare the horse for the day.”

Horantzau d’Airy is currently number 35 on the Grand National list with 34 permitted to run, but an April 5 trip to Aintree is on the cards either way.

Keady decided against entering Horantzau d’Airy in the shorter Topham Chase 24 hours before the Grand National.

However, his new flagship jumps performer will have the option of the William Hill Handicap Hurdle in Liverpool as connections relish having a performer to put Keady’s Newmarket operation in the spotlight.

Keady explained: “I took him out of the Topham and if he doesn’t get in the National, we’ve decided we’d still like to race on Grand National day and there’s a hurdles race for him which he qualifies for. He’s rated 10lb lower over hurdles so he could prove well-handicapped.

“The idea is he will take his owners to the bigger days and places like the Galway Festival. My family are from Galway and it has always been a dream of mine to have a winner at the Galway Festival, so places like that will very much be on the radar.”