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Greg Wood
Liverpool Hurdle (3.05pm) preview
Five of the 11 runners here lined up for the Stayers’ Hurdle at Cheltenham last month, including Home On The Lee, the shock winner, and Honesty Policy, who was seven lengths away in fifth. The market suggests the latter, the current 7-2 favourite, will turn the form around today and Gordon Elliott’s gelding can also boast winning form at the track in the two-and-a-half mile novice hurdle here last year, while his closest rival in the betting is a festival winner in Jingko Blue, who streaked sixth lengths clear of the field in the meeting’s two-mile-five handicap hurdle. And there is a third festival winner too to consider, as Air Of Entitlement was the final victor of the meeting in the Martin Pipe Conditionals’ Handicap Hurdle, a race that has been won by several future Grade One winners in recent seasons. Strong Leader, meanwhile, has had a wind operation since his latest start, finished second in this last year having won it the year before, and will be a big danger to all if back in that kind of form.
SELECTION: STRONG LEADER
2.30pm FREEBOOTER HANDICAP CHASE (result)
1 Mr Hope Street (Harry Skelton) 4-1
2 Lookaway (J M Quinlan) 7-2 Fav
3 Konfusion (G Sheehan) 20-1
Closing stages replay here.
2.30pm FREEBOOTER HANDICAP CHASEAnd they’re off … no they’re not … it’s another false start … and they line up again … and they are off this time … Glengouly leads after the first fence … Bad is at the back … Lookaway has a good position … Bad is at the back … Leave Of Absence is just behind the leaders having run round the inside all the way so far … Bad (as ever) is at the back … they have a circuit to go … not much change in the order (but Bad is still at the back) … Josh The Boss gets a bit closer … Brave Fortune is pulled up … Konfusion comes into it … they turn for home … Lookaway goes for home … Mr Hope Street comes with a good-timed challenge .. and wins for guess who? Yes that trainer Dan Skelton!!!!!
2.30pm FREEBOOTER HANDICAP CHASE betting
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Mr Hope Street – 3/1
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Lookaway – 4/1
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Brave Fortune – 6/1
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Leave Of Absence – 8/1
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Cruz Control – 8/1
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Chance Another One – 8/1
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Uncle Bert – 12/1
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Deep Cave – 14/1
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16/1 BAR
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Betting via Oddschecker
Greg Wood
2.30pm FREEBOOTER HANDICAP CHASE preview
Another possible line to the National here as Leave Of Absence finished fifth in the Ultima Handicap Chase at Cheltenham, in which Johnnywho, Jagwar and Iroko finished first, second and 10th respectively. The favourite, though, is Dan Skelton’s novice Mr Hope Street, who beat only one rival home on his handicap debut in early March, although that was his first start for four months and he has been eased 1lb in the weights since. Lookaway is going for a hat-trick after two wins at Kempton, while Joseph O’Brien’s Brave Fortune is another interesting runner after just two runs for his new trainer, incuding a staying-on fourth at Thurles in January that suggested this return to three miles will suit.
SELECTION: LEAVE OF ABSENCE
MERSEY NOVICE HURDLE (1.55pm) result
1 Bossman Jack (Harry Skelton) 11-4 Jt Fav
2 Soldier Reeves (Tristan Durrell) 15-2
3 Ballyfad (Jack Kennedy) 11-4 Jt Fav
Closing stages replay here.
1.55pm MERSEY NOVICE HURDLE
And they’re off … The French runner Rooster Crowing with Bryony Frost on board has taken up the running in the early stages … Charisma Cat is following the leader … Lord Byron is at the back … Masked Man has made up ground into third place … it has started persisting down very heavily during this race … Lord Byron makes an error … Ballyfad is in a good position … they turn for home … Bossman Jack takes the lead … it’s that man Dan Skelton again … he’s trained another winner as Bossman Jack kicks clear for a smooth enough success! And Skelton’s Soldier Reeves is second!
Get On George became the second fatality at this year’s Grand National meeting after pulling up in the second race at Aintree on Saturday.
The six-year-old gelding, trained by Joel Parkinson and Sue Smith, was attended to by vets on the course and was put down immediately after the race. It was the second fatal injury to a racehorse at this year’s Aintree showpiece.
On Friday, Gold Dancer suffered a fatal injury after making a bad mistake at the last before continuing to run on a considerable distance to win the Mildmay Novice Chase. Jockey Paul Townend told stewards the horse felt sound and continued running in a straight line to the finish before losing his action round the bend. Vets at the scene agreed the best course of action was to humanely euthanise Gold Dancer who had broken his back. The British Horseracing Authority said it would further assess the incident through its fatality review process.
Efforts have been made in recent years to improve the safety of the Grand National, including moving the front fence forward to try to slow down the start of the race and restricting the maximum number of runners to 34. PA Media
1.55pm MERSEY NOVICE HURDLE betting
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Bossman Jack – 3/1
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Ballyfad – 3/1
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Montemares – 6/1
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Soldier Reeves – 7/1
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Scorpio Rising – 7/1
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Charisma Cat – 8/1
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Lord Byron – 18/1
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Masked Man – 22/1
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25/1 BAR
Greg Wood
1.55pm MERSEY NOVICE HURDLE preview
The performance of Kaka’s Cousin in the preceding handicap will be an interesting pointer to the chance of Olly Murphy’s Scorpio Rising, who won the Sandown handicap in which Kaka’s Cousin finished fourth. The six-year-old was steered around the festival and has more than earned this tilt at a Grade One by stringing together four straight wins in progressively stronger company this season. Gordon Elliott is going for a five-timer in this race with Ballyfad but he did not cut much ice in the equivalent race at Cheltenham, where Dan Skelton’s Bossman Jack, who is vying for favouritism with Ballyfad, looked unlucky not to finish closer when four lengths behind the winner in sixth.
SELECTION: SCORPIO RISING
William Hill Handicap Hurdle (1.20pm) resut
1 Wade Out (G Sheehan) 18-1
2 Eagle Fang (Patrick M O’Brien) 28-1
3 Chart Topper (Brian Hayes) 25-1
4 Supremely West (Harry Skelton) 7-1
Closing stages replay here
1.20pm HANDICAP HURDLEAnd they’re off … no they’re not … it’s a false start! They are going to try again … they’re off the second time … Bold Endeavour leads in the early stages … Kaka’s Cousin comes up to join him as they go round the first circuit … Eagle Fang is just behind the leaders … they have another full circuit to go … Ikarak is making ground … Harbour Lake is in mid-division … Eagle Fang goes to the front … they are on the home turn … Wade Out comes to challenge at the last hurdle … Wade Out kicks clear for a very smooth victory!
1.20pm HANDICAP HURDLE betting
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Hold The Serve – 7/2
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Kakas Cousin – 7/2
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Fortune Timmy – 7/1
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Get On George – 8/1
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Supremely West – 9/1
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Absolutely Doyen – 10/1
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Good To Be Alive – 11/1
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Quantum Quest – 16/1
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20/1 BAR
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Betting via Oddschecker
Greg Wood
1.20pm HANDICAP HURDLE preview
A big field for this handicap hurdle for stayers but the market is dominated by a trio of lightly-raced novices in Kaka’s Cousin, Hold The Serve and Fortune Timmy. All three have plenty of scope to progress beyond their current handicap marks so it is probably a question of which one will find the most improvement, and Hold The Serve, with just four races in the book, could be the one, as he has run out a comfortable winner of his last three starts. Kaka’s Cousin, meanwhile, was better than the bare result when fourth in a highly competitive handicap at Sandown last time, while Fortune Timmy is a handicap debutant after finishing in midfield in the Grade one Turners Novice Hurdle at Cheltenham last month.
SELECTION: HOLD THE SERVE
12.45pm MAGHULL NOVICE CHASE result
1 Mirabad (Tristan Durrell) 50-1
2 Salvator Mundi (Paul Townend) 8-11 Fav
3 Be Aware (Harry Skelton) 10-1
Closing stages replay here.
12.45pm MAGHULL NOVICE CHASEAnd they’re off … should be plenty of pace on here as a few like to get on with it early … Be Aware jumps to the right at the first but grabs the lead … Salvatore Mundi has powered through the field to run with Be Aware up at the front ... the favourite has not been all that fluent to be fair … they still lead on the turn for home … Kala Conti was ready to challenge but fell three out … Mirabad is ready to challenge … takes it up and kicks clear for an easy win! Dan Skelton, the outative champion trainer, lands another big prize.
12.45pm MAGHULL NOVICE CHASE betting
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Salvator Mundi – 11/10
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Kala Conti – 11/4
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Mighty Bandit – 7/1
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Be Aware – 10/1
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No Questions Asked – 20/1
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Alnilam – 22/1
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Mirabad – 50/1
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King Of Kingsfield – 50/1
Full betting via Oddschecker
Greg Wood
1.55pm MERSEY NOVICE HURDLE preview
The performance of Kaka’s Cousin in the preceding handicap will be an interesting pointer to the chance of Olly Murphy’s Scorpio Rising, who won the Sandown handicap in which Kaka’s Cousin finished fourth. The six-year-old was steered around the festival and has more than earned this tilt at a Grade One by stringing together four straight wins in progressively stronger company this season. Gordon Elliott is going for a five-timer in this race with Ballyfad but he did not cut much ice in the equivalent race at Cheltenham, where Dan Skelton’s Bossman Jack, who is vying for favouritism with Ballyfad, looked unlucky not to finish closer when four lengths behind the winner in sixth.
SELECTION: SCORPIO RISING
1.20pm HANDICAP HURDLE preview
A big field for this handicap hurdle for stayers but the market is dominated by a trio of lightly-raced novices in Kaka’s Cousin, Hold The Serve and Fortune Timmy. All three have plenty of scope to progress beyond their current handicap marks so it is probably a question of which one will find the most improvement, and Hold The Serve, with just four races in the book, could be the one, as he has run out a comfortable winner of his last three starts. Kaka’s Cousin, meanwhile, was better than the bare result when fourth in a highly competitive handicap at Sandown last time, while Fortune Timmy is a handicap debutant after finishing in midfield in the Grade one Turners Novice Hurdle at Cheltenham last month.
SELECTION: HOLD THE SERVE
Greg Wood
Greg Wood
Going to start running through our race previews now …
12.45pm MAGHULL NOVICE CHASE preview
An early start for the action at Aintree with a Grade One novice chase that got rather lost last year, when it was off at 5.00 race, an hour after the National. The three principals in the betting were all steered around Cheltenham last month and so arrive here fresh, and the standout is Willie Mullins’s Salvator Mundi, thanks to his winning form in the Grade One novice over this trip at this meeting 12 months ago. His main market rival is Gordon Elliott’s mare Kala Conti, second in the Grade One Scilly Isles Novice Chase at Sandown in February, while Mighty Bandit is stepping up from handicap company after reeling off three straight wins.
SELECTION: SALVATOR MUNDI
There is also one change of jockey from those printed in your morning papers. Kielan Woods has not recovered from his fall earlier in the week and that means he will miss the ride on Marble Sands in the Grand National, and will be replaced by Tom Bellamy.
We have a new National favourite and it’s the mare Panic Attack. No mare has won the National since Nickel’s Coin in 1951, when only three finished! Panic Attack is a slick jumper of a fence and has been in terrific form this season. Here’s the early betting for the market leaders:
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Panic Attack – 7/1
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Jagwar – 8/1
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I Am Maximus – 9/1
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Grangeclare West 9/1
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Johnnywho – 11/1
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Montys Star – 12/1
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Oscars Brother – 14/1
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Iroko – 16/1
Aintree non-runners
These won’t be turning up in theire respective races so cross them off your lists. Nick Rocket, last year’s winner of the Grand National, has the sniffles!
1.55pm Turners Mersey Novice Hurdle
3 Came From Nowhere (Unsuitable Going)
2.30pm William Hill Handicap Chase
4 Imperial Saint (got into the Grand National as a reserve)
5 Amirite (got into the Randox Grand National as a reserve)
8 Myretown (Vet’s Certificate, abscess)
14 Stolen Silver (Bruised foot))
3.05pm JET2 Liverpool Hurdle
2 Happy Jacky (Transport issues)
4.00pm Grand National Handicap Chase
2 Nick Rockett (Coughing)
7 Spillane’s Tower (Horse not qualified)
35 Pied Piper (Lame)
Good morning. There was rain around this morning at Aintree when the BBC Breakfast weatherman was giving his forecast but it’s cleared up and the ground still has some juice in it. They always water the track well with safety in mind.
Grand National Course: Good to Soft
Mildmay Course (Chase & Hurdle): Good to Soft, Good in places
Aintree tell us “there was 2mm of rain overnight. The showers should clear by mid-morning for a partly sunny day but here is the slight chance of a further shower mid-afternoon.”
Preamble
Greg Wood
Welcome to Aintree on Grand National morning, where a sellout crowd is gathering to witness one of the most historic and compelling spectacles in sport as 34 runners and riders line up for the big race at 4pm BST.
An early smattering of rain is clearing away, there’s a brighter forecast for later in the afternoon, and the betting market for the National is already heating up with an early gamble on Jagwar, one of just three seven-year-olds in the field. Panic Attack, the only mare in the field, is popular too, even though the last female (horse) to win was way back in 1951, and has just taken over at the top of the market at 8-1, while Jagwar is top-priced at 17-2 and yesterday’s favourite, I Am Maximus, has drifted out to 9-1 in a place.
Other names that leap out of the list for a variety of reasons are Oscars Brother, from the two-horse yard of Connor King in Ireland; Haiti Couleurs, bidding to be a first Welsh-trained winner since 1905, who is ridden by Sean Bowen and trained by his former babysitter, Rebecca Curtis; and Mr Vango, trained by Sara Bradstock, whose father, the hugely popular broadcaster and journalist Lord John Oaksey, finished second aboard Carrickbeg way back in 1963.
Every punter will have their own way of picking a winner, of course, and Gorgeous Tom may well be popular later with the nation’s Thomases and their kith and kin, and I reckon he might well be in with a decent each-way chance. Picks for the National itself and the ITV races in the run-up to the big one are here, a full guide to all of the runners is here, and you can, as always, follow all the news, views and market moves here on the blog as the countdown begins to the biggest race of the year.
