The 2026 BoyleSports Irish Grand National needed no final-fence drama, no photo finish, no stewards’ enquiry. Soldier In Milan put the race to bed so comprehensively that it barely felt like a contest, at least from the moment his rivals began to fall away around him.
The seven-year-old, sent off as the 6-1 favourite, powered 16 lengths clear of Showurappreciation at Fairyhouse on Easter Monday to hand trainer Emmet Mullins and jockey Donagh Meyler the most prestigious prize in the Irish jumps calendar.
The Race
The BoyleSports Irish Grand National Chase is run over 3m5f20y on Yielding to Soft ground at Fairyhouse, County Meath, 24 fences for a maximum 30-horse field. It is one of the most taxing staying chases in Ireland, where jumping ability and stamina are tested in equal measure.
Soldier In Milan, having run just five times under rules in his career, gave a masterclass in both.
He raced close to the pace throughout, travelling powerfully, and Meyler began to assert on the final circuit. Taking over from Monbeg Genius leaving the back straight, the race effectively turned when Kiss Will, the chief market rival and nearest pursuer — fell heavily three fences from home. By that point, the result was already becoming clear.
Sixteen lengths back in second came Showurappreciation. The Enabler took third. Argento Boy fourth.
What the Trainer Said
Emmet Mullins was characteristically measured in his excitement. “I was pinching myself jumping the last with a lap to go,” he said. “He was jumping and travelling and everything was going very smoothly. The biggest worry was bypassing the fourth last and hitting the front. I had warned Donagh that if everything is going right to wait as long as he can. He executed everything brilliantly, it was a brilliant ride.”
What the Jockey Said
For Donagh Meyler, the win carried a personal weight beyond the prize fund. “Obviously there was no hiding it, I had a lot of ups and downs this season, horses not winning, getting beat in stewards’ rooms. Look it, this makes up for it all. We’re up there numbers-wise, it’s our best season and this is just unbelievable.”
The Data Perspective
What makes Soldier In Milan’s performance particularly striking from a data standpoint is the experience profile. Five career runs under rules before the Irish Grand National, one of the most gruelling tests in the National Hunt calendar. This is a horse that had done almost nothing publicly before Monday, yet answered every question the race could pose without hesitation.
Three and a half miles. Yielding to Soft ground. Twenty-four fences. A maximum-sized field. Soldier In Milan found all of it well within his scope. That kind of performance, particularly in a Grade 3 handicap of this magnitude and prize fund (€500,000), raises the obvious question: where is the ceiling for a seven-year-old with almost no racing mileage on the clock?
Looking Ahead
No immediate next target was confirmed post-race, but a horse with this ability, this age profile, and this level of inexperience is an obvious Cheltenham Gold Cup candidate for next season. Emmet Mullins now has one of the most exciting staying chasers in training.
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