Dual-National-winner Haiti Couleurs could be set to tackle the 2026 Grand National next month, claims trainer Rebecca Curtis.
Despite not finishing his race in the Cheltenham Gold Cup, his trainer has conveyed her intentions to run him in Europe’s most-valuable jumps race.
In an interview with Sky Sports Racing, Curtis said: “I’m really keen to go to the Grand National with him.”
Haiti Couleurs triumphed in last season’s Irish Grand National, which was his final race of a campaign that saw him win four of his six races – including one at the Cheltenham Festival.
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Welsh National winner
The nine-year-old has won three of his five races this season, including the Welsh Grand National, but has been pulled up on both of his efforts in Grade One races.
The latest of which came in the Cheltenham Gold Cup last weekend, though his trainer didn’t seem put off by his effort.
Curtis told Sky Sports Racing: “I think he may have given Sean [Bowen] the feeling of ‘flat’, but it was quick ground, he is a stamina horse, there was no good-to-soft in it.
“I think that the horse did really well for the day, but I think maybe he gave that impression because he’s always just slightly out of his comfort zone.
“I think that’s why he didn’t finish as well; he was going a shade quicker than he wants to be – it was proper good ground, it was 11 seconds fast.”
Haiti Couleurs went off at 6/1 to win the race won at a canter by Gaelic Warrior, who had drifted during the day but eventually shortened into favouritism after some late rainfall.
On her intentions to run Haiti Couleurs in the Grand National, Curtis said: “Obviously I’ll have to chat it through with the owners.
“He seemed really – not fresh after the Gold Cup – but I thought he’d be really tired and off his food the next day, but he was straight into his breakfast.
“It’s probably a more suitable race isn’t it the National, he’s a marathon-horse.
“We’ll see how he is over the next few weeks, but if he does seem fresh and well then definitely don’t rule it out.”
READ MORE: Cheltenham Festival 2026: Gaelic Warrior unstoppable in Gold Cup
Cheltenham Festival
Cheltenham Festival 2026: Gaelic Warrior unstoppable in Gold Cup
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