Intense Raffles, the winner of the Irish National, has the Grand National at Aintree firmly in his sights this season. The six-year-old, trained by Tom Gibney, made an impressive impact at Fairyhouse, securing victory in just his third race in Ireland during the Easter Monday showpiece. Raised 11lbs following that triumph, Gibney is keen to protect Intense Raffles’ handicap mark with an eye on the prestigious Aintree race, a goal shared by owners Simon Munir and Isaac Souede.
“He’s in great shape and training well, no issues at all,” said Gibney. “Most of our jumpers have been back in training since the end of July, and we're making progress.”
Aiming to peak for the Grand National later in the season, Gibney plans to start Intense Raffles in November, although the exact location is still undecided. The focus for now will be on running him over hurdles to safeguard his chase rating, ensuring he's primed for the ultimate challenge at Aintree.
