The Milan veteran turned the BOYLE Sports Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse into a parade with a classic display.
Trained by Emmet Mullins and owned by Paul Byrne, Soldier In Milan (6/1 favourite) won the stakes in the three mile and five furlong contest, winning unchallenged by 16 lengths on debut.
The seven-year-old showed the ability to use the bumpers and was sent over the fence on the ropes avoiding the choice of time over the obstacles. That decision had already paid dividends by defeating market rival Kiss Will in a novice chase third attempt before returning the Group 3 favorite over two five miles.
Returning from a long journey and returning to handicap company, Soldier In Milan walked kindly and leapfrogged Donagh Meyler impressively, with the pair staying at the front along with Monbeg Genius, Kiss Will and The Jukebox Kid.
The latter squandered his chance but Kiss Will had just started to make sure the third was wrong. There were no such mistakes from the Milanese who crossed them from the front to record an impressive victory and complete the double on the card for his connections.
Teboho took second place before The Enabler and Argento Boy and Monbeg Genius, who spent a lot of time running, returned to fifth place.
Paddy Power has tipped Soldier In Milan at 33/1 for the 2027 Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup.
We were hoping he would be a handicap horse
“It’s unbelievable,” Mullins told Racing TV.
“When I looked at him coming out of the second round I had to work on myself, we were happy and comfortable where we were. It was an easy watch.
“Once we decided we were going to walk the fence in August, September [this was the target]. We thought it was a three-mile chaser, look for a three-mile handicap and there is no bigger and better competition than this, the Irish Grand National, so start at the top and work your way down to the stars.
“He should have studied [when held-up at Thurles]. He jumped and made it the first two completed. We had a bit of a scare at Christmas, he came back full of heart and Angus and the team were great looking after him. To be fair, he did fine but we had to tick all the boxes and leave him up there at night to keep an eye on him and stuff like that. It’s unexplainable and I’m thankful we’ve come out on the right side of it.
“He’s a horse we bought over two years ago and we had him for a year before we got him out of his bumper. He’s a horse we’ve always loved. He’s a big horse and it would scare the life out of you when you saw him galloping home, he’s a big, strong horse. We decided we’d pick one day and face it.
“We were hoping he would be a handicap horse. I’m not sure if we’ll go again this time, after the Irish National I’m not sure we have to. Next year he’ll be in the open class but it’s a tried and tested route from the Irish National to the Aintree National so he’ll be a big carrot again.
“To be able to pick these horses with the points I like and Paul to support me and support me with them is unbelievable to find these days.”
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