Hard ground rules Notre Pere out of Irish Grand National

Trainer Jim Dreaper is likely to pull Notre Pere out of the 2009 Irish Grand National as ground conditions firm ahead of Monday’s race.

Dreaper had always suggested that he wouldn’t risk his Welsh National winner over fast ground at Fairyhouse, and that Notre Pere’s participation in the Grand National was subject to the availability of softer ground.

With the promised rain having failed to materialise Dreaper has told At The Races that top weighted Notre Pere will probably be pulled out of the race, resulting in a shuffle on the weights table.

“I’m afraid it is looking pretty unlikely he’ll run at Fairyhouse, the forecast rain hasn’t come, it is good ground and the worrying thing is that it will be dry through to Monday which I would think will rule him out,” Dreaper said.

“He does go on nice ground but it’s just that he is more effective when there is plenty of cut. He’s only eight and I would hope the best is yet to come, so for that reason I don’t think we’ll take a chance.”

“He had a minor problem just before Cheltenham and ever since the day at Chepstow he has had a tiny piece of birch embedded in his stifle area and it just flared up a fortnight before the Gold Cup. He would have had very little chance on that ground anyway.”