Jessica Harrington: “Magic Of Light was brilliant when she schooled over the national fences last week”

Aintree – Saturday

5.15pm – THE GRAND NATIONAL

Magic Of Light (Paddy Kennedy)

I am so excited to have my first Grand National runner tomorrow with Magic Of Light. She takes her chance in the National and she was brilliant when she schooled over the national fences on The Curragh last week. She has a nice weight and I’ve been very happy with her since Cheltenham.

She really attacked the fences last week and hopefully she’ll get into a rhythm and run a big race for everyone.

She does stay very well, but it’s impossible to say, if she’ll get the trip of four and a quarter miles. She ran well at Cheltenham – she was doing all her best at the finish the last day and I’m thrilled for Paddy Kennedy, who’ll be having his first ride in the race too.

It’s a huge occasion and it’s brilliant for everyone connected with the horse and for my staff. Hopefully she’ll acquit herself well and get into a good rhythm and if she does that, I think she’ll run a big race. 

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Fairyhouse – Sunday

2.20pm

Discordantly (Robert Power)

He ran very well in the ‘Martin Pipe’ at Cheltenham and he remains a maiden over hurdles, so hopefully he’ll gain a deserved success here. He comes out best on official ratings and two and a half miles on good ground should be fine for him, but he’d welcome any more rain, as he likes to get his toe in. He is in super form and he has been working well and if he runs to his mark, he could be hard to beat, but it is very hard to win any maiden hurdle over here, even at this time of the year.

5.05pm

Coromandel Lady (Finny Maguire)

Coromandel Lady won her bumper well at Thurles and she subsequently ran a very solid race, when third behind Gypsy Island,(who she meets again today) at Naas. There wasn’t much pace on in that race, so hopefully they’ll go a good strong gallop and I’d be delighted if she managed to get into the money and picked up some valuable black type.

Papal Pearl (Luke McGuinness)

Papal Pearl ran a lovely race when third on her debut against her elders at Navan, but she got stuck in the bad ground the last day at Down Royal. The ground at the moment would be fine for her, but I would be concerned if it turned soft – there is more rain forecast, so we’ll see what happens. She is a gorgeous, big filly, who can only get better and on the basis of her first start, I’d like to think that she can win a bumper. This looks a very competitive race and I’d be delighted if she ran into the money – black type for these fillies is huge.