But first a thank you, this is blog number 100 for me personally and last week I passed 10,000 views on here, that may not seem like too many for some of you, but it is far more successful than I ever thought it would be. So if you are reading this right now, thank you for contributing and giving me the will power to keep writing this weekly. Through writing this I have met some amazing people on twitter and other types of Social Media and I'm definitely planning the next 100 blogs already.
Today we have triumph hurdle rematches, Champion Hurdle rematches and our first view of the Grand National fences for the week when the Foxhunters take to the course. Paul Nicholls saddles the favourite in Gwanako ridden by Jody Sole who is better known for riding on the Royal Artillery and Grand Military races at Sandown. His equine partner will be remembered for sending Sam Thomas into orbit in one of his runs here previously when refusing to jump the chair. He is opposed by a horse Paul Nicholls part owns and used to train called Bold Addition who is partnered by Stephen Clements.
One last point before we begin the important stuff today and one of a sad nature. This week saw us bid farewell to the fan favourite Fair Along who sadly passed away of Colic on Monday. Known for his pure guts and determination he will always live on in the heart of Racing fans after running at 8 separate Cheltenham Festivals. Throughout his career he was placed in a Triumph Hurdle, an Arkle, A Champion Chase and fourth in what we now call the JLT handicap chase. He also landed back to back West Yorkshire hurdle's as well as wins on the flat and over fences at a range of distances. He posted his last victory at Newbury in November in a 17 runner 3 mile Handicap Hurdle under Richard Johnson at 33/1. This was to be the second last time we would see him on the racecourse as he went on to finish 14th at the Festival in the Pertemps this year under top weight. On that slightly sour note I'm sure you will all join me in bidding Fair Along a final farewell and say with me, R.I.P Fair Along, we will miss you old boy. Fair Along - March 23rd 2002 - April 1st 2013 Aged 11 years old.
2:00 - 4 Y O Juvenile Hurdle - Vasco Du Ronceray
Nicky Henderson is double handed in the opener with Barry Geraghty choosing Rolling Star and Tony McCoy getting the leg up on Vasco Du Ronceray. They both participated in the Triumph Hurdle on the Friday of the Festival, the selection just got the better of his stable mate finishing 5th and 6th respectively. He has however been beaten by Irish Saint who comes here fresh today, but Rolling Star beat Irish Saint so the form is muddling to say the least. The reason for leaning towards Vasco Du ronceray today is that it will be the first time this year he will have encountered genuinely good ground as it was pretty soft at Cheltenham. To win this race round Aintree you need to have some speed about you, the selection has plenty but Irish Saint really had to work to beat him and looks a stayer in the making. Saying that he was giving away 3 pounds that day. But on better ground we will take Vasco Du Ronceray to land the opener for Nicky Henderson and AP McCoy. (8/1)
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| Vasco Du Ronceray will relish the better ground today |
2:30 - Betfred Bowl - Menorah
Everything coming here today bar two had a tough race at Cheltenham, over three miles that could really test some of their fitness. Menorah never had a cut at the Festival in the Ryanair and was pulled up after a lack lustre effort, that could be a blessing in disguise for today in a fitness aspect. These days he is a bit of an enigma in a sense that you never quite know what horse will turn up, but his record on flat tracks has always been better than undulating. He came to Aintree last year after running at Cheltenham and surprisingly jumped his rivals into submission. The only time Menorah has ventured to 3 miles was in the Denman Chase at Newbury when behind Silviniaco Conti and The Giant Bolster who reoppose today. Saying that it was on soft ground and if he is ever going to stay the trip today around Aintree will be his best chance of that. He will however have a tough task pegging back Silviniaco Conti and realistically may just be playing for a place. (18/1)
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| Menorah on his way to winning at Aintree last year |
3:05 - Aintree Hurdle - Grandouet
Grandouet just about broke my heart when he came down at Cheltenham when still going very powerfully in the Champion Hurdle. That doesn't particularly worry me as jumping is usually his forte and Aintree is a much easier jumping track. I am adamant that he would have won that day but we will never know and reports are the fall has had no effect on him and is working very well again. The main question mark today is over his stamina, but for me I don't doubt his stamina at all after he won the International hurdle in 2011 over 2 miles and a furlong at Cheltenham. He was going clear that day after Overturn set a fast pace as usual, he was then off for a year before reappearing in the same race. On bottomless ground which is far from ideal for him, he pushed Zarkandar to 2 lengths when giving him 4 pounds. It has to be noted that on that day Nicky Henderson was quoted to saying 'I have left a bit of work still on him' yet he ran that well. Barry Geraghty also hops off Oscar Whisky who is seeking a hat trick in this race to ride him, meaning AP McCoy takes the ride on Oscar Whisky. This horse is pure class and I'm still confident that he will be one of the top two milers we have seen for some time. Today could well be the day he shows his class and announces himself on the Champion Hurdle scene. (4/1) Raya star comes here fresh and is more than worth an each way bet on some of the form lines to his name. (33/1)
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| Grandouet could well show us how good he is today |
3:40 - Aintree Foxhunters Chase - Bold Addition
It is rare that I will fancy a horse over the National Fences as much as I fancy Bold Addition, but he has done absolutely everything right this year and has been impressive in doing so. He defied a break of just over a year to win easily at Sandown before winning easier at Warwick when beating Silverburn. The may thing a horse needs to win around the National Fences is to be a good jumper, Bold Addition is certainly that and has proved so this season. As a novice hurdler he had some very smart form including a 2nd to Sizing Symphony at Cheltenham before going chasing. On chase debut he was second to Mr Moonshine at Haydock, after which he was off for some time, giving the idea that something wasn't right with him that day. He isn't ground dependent at all, recording wins from Good to Firm up to Soft so the faster ground wont be any problem to him today at all. One last thing is that he has one of the best amateur's in the game on board with Stephen Clements taking the ride, a big positive. A very strong selection today. (11/2)
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| Bold Addition on his way to winning at Sandown |
4:15 - Red Rum Handicap Chase - Ciceron
Ciceron has been ultra consistent over fences which couldn't be said for his time as a hurdler. He comes here off the back of a defeat at the hands of the reopposing Rebel Rebellion, that was on Heavy ground though, something his opponent prefers. Ciceron travelled well for a long way that day but tired late on and was caught for third by Fairy Rath, He gave me the feeling that day that he was longing for good ground. He gets that today and also gets in off a very low weight of 10-3 and runs off a mark he has won on before of 127. The Venetia Williams yard have been in good form for a long time and any runner they have right now you'd be foolish to over look them. For that reason Ciceron is the selection to land the spoils today and he looks a very good each way bet against others who ran at Cheltenham. (16/1)
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| Ciceron (near side) has the class to figure prominently today |
4:50 - Betfred Manifesto Novices Chase - Captain Conan
My first thoughts when I looked at this race was that Captain Conan is overpriced, however another glance and it is a pretty weak race in truth. He tired up the hill in the Jewson to finish fifth after being prominent for most of the way, however last season he ran his best race here. Nicky Henderson has claimed all year that he needs good ground to be seen to full effect, and just like his stable mate Vasco Du Ronceray, gets that for the first time this season. There are no qualms about his jumping and the flat track will help him stay much better, he also has a bit of pace about him. One of the main worries going into this season was that he is a bridle horse and finds nothing for pressure, he duly crushed that belief at Sandown when rallying to get up late. He brings the best form on offer to the plate today and to be quite honest I cant see why he isn't odds on. A strong fancy. (13/8)
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| Captain Conan on his way to winning the Scilly Isles Novices Chase |
5:25 - Silver Cross Handicap Hurdle - Lienosus
I was very taken with the manner of his Fontwell win after struggling during the race he found more and more to win easily, the step up to 3 miles is no shock. He is from the same family as Simply Gifted who was third in a National suggesting he has bags of stamina and is very unexposed. After a point to point win we saw him make his rules debut in the Persian War, he was third beaten only by Wonderful Charm and Ballybough Pat. Next up he was a bit of an eye catcher at Haydock behind Clondaw Kaempfer when staying on in terrible ground over 2 miles. A good yardstick of Paul Nicholls' stable in Landscape was 22 lengths further back in third under Ruby Walsh. Lienosus has always promised to be a useful performer and as a result was bought for £25,000 at the Chelenham sales last May. Off a mark of 131 he could be a bit well in at the bottom here and no matter what happens today will remain one to watch. (8/1)
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| Lienosus on his way to winning at Fontwell |
NAP - Grandouet
Nb - Bold Addition
I hope everyone enjoyed my 100th blog post and I hope even more we can crown it with a winner or two. I look forward to writing the next 100.
Happy Punting everyone
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