Michael Keady has only been training on his own since December but is set to give Horantzau D’Airy his stable debut at Aintree in April
A trainer is set to realise his big race dream by having a runner in the £1 million Randox Grand National only four months after getting his licence. Michael Keady, 33, trained in partnership with Mike Murphy until December and since going solo in Newmarket has sent out seven all-weather winners.
Two weeks ago business partner Jim Gill paid £52,000 at an online sale to buy Munster National runner-up Horantzau D’Airy from trainer Willie Mullins and the horse is now on the cusp of making the cut for the April 5 Aintree showpiece.
“It’s very exciting,” said Keady. “I’ve not been training very long so it’s a privilege to have a Grand National horse in the yard.
“We have had seven winners so far including a couple of doubles which has helped raise the profile. We are Flat focussed but it’s nice to have a decent jumper in the yard as well.
“Even though I am more of a Flat trainer, the question I get asked most is ‘Have you ever had a runner in the Grand National?’ by people outside of racing. So it’s a dream to have a horse in contention.
“Horantzau D’Airy has some decent form. The chance of having a runner in the National is what drew our attention to him but hopefully he will contest other staying races at the big festivals. He’s not just a one race horse.”
Horantzau D’Airy, previously owned by Rich Ricci’s wife Susannah, won three times for Mullins. His best form has been over fences and this season he has finished second in both the Kerry and Munster Nationals, as well as running ninth in the Coral Gold Cup at Newbury.
His last start was at the Dublin Racing Festival at Leopardstown where he was well beaten.
Keady continued: “I know one of the Mullins boys spoke to Ciaran Gethings, who will ride him in the Grand National, and said he was a horse that needed better ground.
“I went to Ireland and picked him up myself because I wanted him in my yard as quickly as I could. As soon as the online hammer fell, I jumped in my horsebox with my travelling head lad to collect him.
“He’s been training away and there have been no issues with him. Let’s hope we get a clear passage to the National.
“A Class 4 £15,000 handicap at Chelmsford is the highest profile race I have had a runner on on my own, but when I was with Mike Murphy we had a winner at the St Leger Festival in the apprentice race and a Racing League winner.
“This will be by far the biggest race that I’ve been involved in.”
