Good Morning/Evening to you all and welcome to the Aintree Grand National Meeting as the National Hunt season continues to wind down. Today's big races are the Grade 1 Betfred Bowl which will see First Lieutenant try to land his 2nd victory in the race in as many years and the Aintree Hurdle.
We have as always prepared a video for you guys covering all of today's racing at Aintree as well as a few giggles. Joining the panel today is myself (@Lukeelder13), Adam Webb (@Adamwebb121) and Michael Andrews (@Mytentoryours). We hope you enjoy the video!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CCVAZd_h0UY
Now onto today's selections!
2:00 Aintree - Activial
Harry Fry decided to swerve Cheltenham with Activial and has been aimed at Aintree as a result, after seeing the backside of Calipto earlier this season. Nothing went right for the latter at Cheltenham after Daryl Jacob's stirrup broke off approaching two out when still travelling very strongly, but he will have to reproduce that run again. The selection has to find three and a quarter lengths with Calipto from the Newbury race in November but the better ground should see that margin significantly shortened. One of the main positives about Activial is that he comes here fresh as many in the field will have left their race behind at Cheltenham. We last saw Activial when victorious in the Adonis Hurdle at Kempton, handing out a three and a half length beating to the re-opposing Commissioned, who also gave Cheltenham a miss and wont be far away. (4/1)
1st - Activial
2nd - Calipto
3rd - Commissioned
2:30 Aintree - First Lieutenant
Only two of the six in this years Betfred Bowl didn't run at Cheltenham, the most notable one of the pair being First Lieutenant with Argocat also sidestepping the Festival. Dynaste looks set to go off favourite here after winning the Ryanair impressively and was also victorious at Aintree last season, albeit in a much weaker contest. Another one that comes here after running at Cheltenham is Silviniaco Conti who didn't stay at Cheltenham and to me it is a surprise they bought him here, but one of interest is last year's winner. First Lieutenant was a bit disappointing in the early part of the season but came back to life with a good second behind Bobs Worth in the Lexus. He was a withdrawal on the morning of the Gold Cup because he 'did not eat up' but has been in good form back at home according to trainer Mouse Morris. The ground is on his side and he clearly likes Aintree so a chance is taken for First Lieutenant to put his freshness to good use with Menorah to chase him home. (3/1)
1st - First Lieutenant
2nd - Menorah
3:05 Aintree - Rock On Ruby
You would be a good mixture of brave and stupid to say that anything not named 'The New One' is fighting for minor honours here. In the search to find the runner up I have adventurously come up with ex Champion Hurdle winner, Rock On Ruby who reverts back to hurdles today. He is the first entry into today's blog who ran at Cheltenham, but gave nowhere near his true running after making a shuddering early mistake in the Arkle. Ten lengths separate him and The New One from their battle early on this season, however that was the first run of the season and Rock On Ruby clearly needed it, although he shouldn't be overturning the form today. The New One to take all the beating, but Rock On Ruby can chase him home. (11/1)
1st - The New One
2nd - Rock On Ruby
3:40 Aintree - Warne
Warne won last time despite carrying the 2 stone penalty of the 'Adam Webb Nap' and was impressive in doing so when making all at Fairyhouse. The horses behind him that day were no slouches either as he gave a length and a quarter beating to Seabass with Cheltenham Foxhunters winner, Tammys Hill back in third. He won that exact race before a good fourth here last year showing that he handles the fences but there is room for improvement in that area. There were a few sticky jumps early on in the race but he warmed to the task as the race progressed and the addition of Sam Waley-Cohen is a positive today. (9/2)
1st - Warne
2nd - Mossey Joe
3rd - Richard's Sundance
4:15 Aintree - Arnaud
Arnaud came to the fore as a top Novice Chaser when caught late on by Valdez at Doncaster who went on to finish a good fifth in the Arkle. His life is made a bit easier here with Ger Fox taking off a valuable 7 pounds and also with the defection of Next Sensation who would have been the pace angle. There aren't many others that would want to be leading this afternoon so it could just be that Arnaud gets to jump them silly from the front in a soft lead. Claret Cloak appreciated a change of tactics last time in the Grand Annual but made a shuddering error at the 2nd last and will be one stalking late on. However Arnaud comes here a fresh horse and will love the spring ground and can make it a double for Michael O'Leary. (8/1)
1st - Arnaud
2nd - Claret Cloak
3rd - Parsnip Pete
4th - Sound Investment
4:50 Aintree - Fox Appeal
This is a bit of a disappointing turn out for me despite the field including an Arkle winner and a fourth as well as a JLT runner up. All five of these had high hopes at the start of the year but have each left a blotch on their resume throughout the course of the season. Oscar Whisky fell at the first in the JLT when the stable who won this last year had high hopes, whereas Dodging Bullets came up short in the Arkle but the step up in trip could suit. Western Warhorse has let his temperament get the better of him on a couple of occasions but is unbeaten over fences and is another who steps up in trip today. That leaves Uxizandre who was laboured at Warwick in handicap but ran well in the JLT although the strength of that form could be questioned. So we are left with Fox Appeal who is a more than useful novice but isn't straightforward himself so is taken tentatively. He is the only one that comes here fresh after bypassing Cheltenham but on a formline with Wonderful Charm is well amongst these five. Undoubtedly his best performance came when handing out a 10 length victory to the ill fated Raya Star and last time out pushed Balder Succes to a length. Fox Appeal to take all the beating today at a nice price as well. (10/1)
1st - Fox Appeal
2nd - Western Warhorse
5:25 Aintree - Busty Brown
Not for the first time in his career Noel Meade has an unexposed horse in Busty Brown who made a good return from injury last time out behind Sailors Warn. That was over a much shorter trip than today and he covered himself with credit in a good field including Thousand Stars. Before his injury he was mixing it with the likes of Pont Alexandre and Don Cossack in Novice Hurdle company and was far from being outclassed. He has only had one previous try over three miles however, which is the race I'd like to focus on as he was third in a Grade Three. Our Vinnie was the winner that day who was a top novice in his own right with Rule The World in second before Busty Brown completed the placings in third. Finishing third in a good Grade Three race like that is no bad thing but distances back to him were a head and a head which shows the class he has. With stamina assured and a mark of 140 looking very lenient, Busty Brown is taken to land the last race on the card today. (9/1)
1st - Busty Brown
2nd - Kaylif Aramis
3rd - Two Rockers
4th - Edgardo Sol
NAP - First Lieutenant
Nb - Arnaud
Good luck today and as always, Happy Punting!
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