The Grand National festival rolls onto day two on Friday, with seven extremely competitive betting heats for viewers to enjoy. GG tipster Joe Napier has four selections across the day, including a 100/1 shot in the last…
1.45 Aintree – Huyton Asphalt Franny Blennerhassett Memorial Mildmay Novices’ Chase (Grade 1)
The form of Handstands could not have worked out better at Cheltenham, with Jango Baie, runner-up to him in the Grade 1 Scilly Isles Novices’ Chase at Sandown, going one better in the Arkle, albeit fortuitously. He could well be a three-miler in the making and he has been saved for this.
For all he is very well respected, a chance is taken on the mare DON’T RIGHTLY KNOW, who has been a revelation this season. The ten-year-old is advanced in years for a novice, but has won all three starts over fences, beating some very handy fellow mares along the way.
In Listed company at Exeter last time, she beat recent Ultima third Malina Girl fair and square from the front. Charlie Deutsch takes over from Harry Cobden, but he is a jockey who is reliable on front-runners and putting his mounts right at their fences. Her bold jumping and proven stamina are assets that could make her a very lively outsider here.
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2.20 Aintree – William Hill Handicap Hurdle
Dan Skelton’s recent record in this race is good, so Be Aware and Listentoyourheart are both high on the shortlist, as is Cheltenham flop Kopeck De Mee, who was way too fresh in the Martin Pipe, making an early mistake which blew his chance. He is three times the price in what will likely prove a weaker race here, and his reputation pre-Cheltenham was that he was thrown in.
Nevertheless, if he is still coming to hand for Willie Mullins, there are alternatives, not least HELNWEIN for Alan King. The seven-year-old has been novice chasing this term without quite getting to grips with his fences, although his second at Warwick on chase debut came against a mare now rated 32lb higher, and he was beaten only four lengths.
He is 1lb lower in the handicap now and may well prove more suited back over hurdles. He won the novices’ handicap final at Sandown’s jumps finale last season, form which has also been significantly franked: he was getting 3lb from Be Aware that day and now receives 11lb, while third-placed Steel Ally, giving the selection 10lb at Sandown, now concedes 17lb. He is an outsider worth a shot.
4.40 Aintree – Oddschecker Sefton Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 1)
This looks just as open as the Albert Bartlett at Cheltenham. Although Jacob’s Ladder may be the number one on jockey bookings, the mare FAMILIAR DREAMS could prove the one for Gordon Elliott, as she has been steadily coming to the boil over hurdles.
She won the Grade 3 mares’ bumper at the Punchestown Festival last season, a campaign in which she also beat the very talented Sixandahalf in a bumper when conceding her 17lb (before claimers taken into account). She even beat Champion Hurdle third Winter Fog in a maiden on the flat, also conceding weight.
Over timber, she was third to Maughreen on debut, but has since won twice upped in trip, first over 2m4f back at Punchestown, then in Grade 3 company at Limerick last time out. That would not have made the headlines during Cheltenham week, but it was an accomplished performance in which her stamina and jumping looked assured and more could easily be in the locker.
Topham Handicap Chase Preview – Pauling and Jones Can Make it a Bad Day for Rivals Over National Fences
The Topham Handicap Chase is the showpiece over the Grand National fences on the second day of Aintree’s festival. 30 runners are set to go to post over the 2m5f trip and Joe Napier previews this big field and gives his verdict. A dramatic conclusion to the 2024 running saw Arizona Cardinal rally past James…
Wed 02 Apr 20255.15 Aintree – Hallgarten And Novum Wines Handicap Hurdle
With 40/1 winners in the last two renewals of this race, it is worth throwing a dart at one. He looks set to go off even bigger, and there are younger and less exposed rivals to take into account, but CORMIER is one whose profile is worth a closer look.
Brian Ellison has found things tougher with his jumps horses this season, but this nine-year-old reached a peak mark of 139, off which he was seventh in State Man’s County Hurdle, receiving only 2lb from the future Champion Hurdler. He has since won on the flat, but endured a 553-day break from racing after a run at York in July 2023.
He was tailed off on his return, but showed signs of life when sixth in the Morebattle Hurdle last time, doing second best of those described as “held up in midfield” or worse. His rating of 121 is now 13lb below his last winning mark and 3lb lower for Kelso, so the handicapper is giving the selection a chance, which he could well take from an each-way perspective.
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