Now Where Or When in frame for Irish National bid

Adam Morgan
March 2, 2023 12:19 pm

Fine run in Bobbyjo Chase offers real encouragement.

Now Where Or When could return to Fairyhouse for the BoyleSports Irish Grand National following his fine performance in the Bobbyjo Chase.

Stuart Crawford’s eight-year-old – who was sent off 33-1 for the Grade Three contest – was rated some 30lb inferior to the winner Kemboy but ran a career best to finish just a length and a half behind Willie Mullins’ ever-popular Grade One winner in third.

The son of Where Or When holds an entry for the Bar One Racing Leinster National at Naas on March 12, but having shown a real liking for Fairyhouse throughout his career, Crawford suggests the Easter Monday marathon that is the feature of the track’s Easter Festival on April 10 is a more likely target.

Kemboy – back to winning ways 👀
The four-time G1 scorer records a first success since 2021 with a thrilling performance in the tote Fantasy Bobbyjo Chase for @PTownend & @WillieMullinsNH at @Fairyhouse pic.twitter.com/TxwjV2OJE3
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) February 25, 2023

He said: “The horse has been a wee bit unfortunate this season – he’s had one or two targets and for whatever reason he’s ended up missing them. So he’s kind of been on the go for a little while and crying out for a run.

“We knew he was a wee bit wrong at the ratings, but Fairyhouse is a track he has won at a couple of times and always ran well so we were happy to let him take his chance.

“We were maybe a little bit unfortunate at Leopardstown at the Dublin Racing Festival, he missed the start and never really got into the race there, but hopefully there is a big day in him.”

Now Where or When ridden by jockey Sam Ewing on their way to winning the Start Your Free Trial Now at racingtv.com Handicap Chase at Down Royal (Brian Lawless/PA)

On future plans, he continued: “He has an entry for there (Leinster National), but ultimately we would love to come back to Fairyhouse at Easter and that would probably be the target.

“He’s on the verge of whether he would make the cut for that, but he will definitely be given an entry and we will see where we are.

“So far he has proven to be a good jumper and he stays well so it will be worth giving him a shot at it anyway.”