THE 2020 IRISH Grand National has been cancelled, organisers confirmed today. 

The race was initially postponed from the Easter Festival at Fairyhouse earlier this year, and plans to stage it as part of an expanded National Hunt schedule have now been cancelled. 

Horse Racing Ireland cited the probability of crowd restrictions continuing for some time along with a desire to give trainers as much certainty as possible in relation to the preparation of their horses in explaining their decision. 

The prizemoney has been redirected to two of the winter’s bigger races, the Ladbrokes Troytown at Navan on 8 November and the Bar One Porterstown Handicap Chase at Fairyhouse on 29 November. Both of these races will now be worth €125,000. 

“The BoyleSports Irish Grand National is known by many as the ‘People’s Race’ so to stage the race at Fairyhouse without that huge community of locals and racing fans, just wouldn’t feel the same”, said Peter Roe, General Manager of Fairyhouse Racecourse.

“I know that the race will return as big as ever in 2021 and would like to sincerely thank BoyleSports for their loyal support of the race.

“I’m delighted to see that the Bar One Porterstown Handicap Chase, which features on an incredible day’s racing here on 29 November, with three Grade 1s alongside it, will benefit from a prizemoney boost.”