Aintree
Big race form guide
Becher Chase 2.10
West End Rocker ran in the Grand National last season and was going well enough when brought down at Bechers on the first circuit. He won at Newbury and Warwick last season but was pulled up on his reappearance at Cheltenham.
Hello Bud and Always Waining both have winning form over these fences while Niche Market was 5th in the Grand National. The Irish have a good record in the race and are represented by Another Palm who jumps and stays well. His recent second in the Cork National shows he is in good heart and he only has a light weight to carry.
12.00 Keys is a very interesting recruit to hurdling. After winning 3 bumpers he went on to run well on the flat winning twice. He can make a winning start over hurdles here with the main danger coming from Cinders and Ashes who he beat a short head in one of the bumper
12.35 Wyse Hill Teabags is a consistent hurdler and was a close second at Haydock on his last start. Palace Jester was an easy winner at Ffos as on soft ground. , Featherbed Lane made a winning handicap debut at Ascot in pleasing style. He handles any ground and the extra half mile tomorrow won’t be a problem. He is a full brother to Master of the Hall. He has gone up 9 lbs for his win.
1.05 Irish import Walden Prince ran well for a long way at Cheltenham last month and is one of a pair of outsiders to consider. Saint Luke won 3 times in bumpers but has yet to find his form. Soft ground could be the key to him but he could be well handicapped.
2.10 See big race form guide.
2.45 It might be worth taking on the favourite here with Master of the Hall who has a good record in small field races.
3.20 Buffalo Bob is on quite an attractive mark. He fell in the Topham last season over these fences which tempers my enthusiasm slightly.
Chepstow
12.25 Ruben Cotter is respected despite his disappointing hurdles debut but Big Occasion, a useful performer on the flat for Aidan O’Brien is preferred.
1.00 Kind of Easy, Teaforthree and Restless Harry are my suggested short list. Restless Harry beat Fair Along, subsequently third in the Hennessy, at Wetherby and that looks the best form on show. Teaforthree is the danger.
1.30 Curtain Razer was second on his hurdles bow at Exeter and can go one better.
2.05 Sona Sasta looks on a fair mark and likes the mud.
2.40 Cresswell Crusader’s two wins have both come on heavy ground.
3.15 I will put forward a couple of outsiders here, According to Lawrence and Fishoutofwater. Slight preference is for the former.
Sandown
12.55 Knight Pass won twice in bumpers last season, once at Sandown. He made a pleasing start over hurdles when winning at Exeter and sets the standard.
1.25 Hildisvini, Global Power and Poungach make up my short list. Poungach was a runaway winner at Ascot in January and could be a blot on the handicap. Global Power looks the danger.
1.55 It is hard to get away from Al Ferof after his smooth Cheltenham success last month. Megastar has been disappointing and the main threat looks likely to come from For Non Stop. Al Ferof has to be the selection but is hardly an attractive price so I will put up For Non Stop as well for those who prefer something a little spicier!
2.30 Via Galilei is very consistent and his 6th in the Greatwood is decent form. Nicky Henderson’s Gibb River won 3 times over hurdles last season, all on good to soft and there could be more to come.. Tenor Nivernais ran a disappointing race at Cheltenham last time but his stable, in the doldrums at the time, are in much better form now.
3.05 This is a really tricky one. It may well be that Wishfull Thinking faced a near impossible task in the Hennessy and dropping back to 2 miles here could see him in a very different light. Kauto Stone is a half brother to Kauto Star, a past winner of this race and won well at Gowran Park on his first outing of the season.Sizing Europe is the form pick on his Cheltenham efforts but runs at Sandown for the first time. I will put up Sizing Europe as my selection but his price is short enough.
Wetherby
12.10 Dark Glacier ran no sort of race on his hurdles debut and is better than that. Quel Elite was second to Wyse Hill Teabags at Kelso last season and looks an improving type.
12.45 Bear’s Affair, Railway Dillon, Mac Aeda and Realt Mor are all in with a chance in an open race. At the prices Realt Mor is just preferred to Bear’s Affair.
Fairyhouse selections
12.50 Mikael D’Haguenet
1.20 Staying Article
1.50 Lochan Lacha
2.25 Saludos
3.00 Sir Des Champs
Sunday
Kelso
12.30 Merchant of Dubai and fellow recruit from the flat Our Joe Mac look the two to concentrate on.
1.00 This race is named after Paris Pike (pictured below) , former Scottish National winner. Lie Forrit and Blenheim Brook are the pair I like.
1.30 Freddie Brown needs to settle better in his races but if he does then he can be competitive in this.
2.00 Sa Suffit ran well in 6th in the fixed brush hurdle at Haydock and should go well. A gallant 3rd in the Scottish National last season Always Right is a course and distance winner.
2.30 Captain Americo is a course winner and has plenty of stamina. He has a good chance if his jumping holds together.
Warwick
2.10 Rich Buddy and Black Noddy are my two against the field.
3.40 Barney Cool was a beaten favourite t Chepstow on soft ground but may do better here on a sound surface.
Fairyhouse
12.50 Midnight Game was second at Punchestown with the rest well beaten. The danger could come from Galileo’s Choice, a Group 3 winner on the flat.
1.20 Alpha Ridge jumped well when second to Last Instalment at Galway last time. He wants bottomless ground. Bog Warrior beat subsequent winner Flemenstar at Navan with an impressive round of jumping. He is best on soft ground. Rated 150 over hurdles Shinrock Paddy was second at Navan on his second start over fences. Cheltenham festival winner First Lieutenant has done little wrong over fences so far and has been talked of as a Gold Cup contender. This race is a tough call but I have been following First Lieutenant this season and I will stick with him.
Picture courtesy of the artist Jenny Lupton.
ahorse 