Denman v Exotic Dancer at Aintree

This week´s Grand National meeting at Aintree gets off to a brilliant start today with an excellent card headed by the Totesport Bowl (Grade One) over 3 miles 1 furlong at 16.10 CET. Like several other races today, this one can be regarded as "Cheltenham revisited". Gold Cup winner Kauto Star is absent, but the form is strongly represented by runner-up Denman (Paul Nicholls/ Sam Thomas), third-placed Exotic Dancer (Jonjo O´Neill/ Tony McCoy), fifth-placed Star de Mohaison (Nicholls/ Ruby Walsh) as well as Madison de Berlais (David Pipe/ Tom Scudamore), Air Force One (Charlie Mann/ Noel Fehily), Snoopy Loopy and Alberta´s Run, who all were either well back or pulled up. Basically however it is a clash between Denman and Exotic Dancer, who has spent most of his career chasing Paul Nicholls´ two stars Kauto Star and Denman, but today has ideal conditions and can possibly repeat his 2007 victory here. Too much importance should not be read in the fact that Ruby Walsh, Nicholl´s n umber one jockey, partners Star de Mohaison, as Denman has always been Sam Thomas´ ride, but we would still not be surprised if Ruby´s mount finished in front of his stable-companion on 10 lbs better terms. German-bred Air Force One, who is not suited by Cheltenham, could run much better today and is the best long-shot, and Madison du Berlais is another one who should shape better at this track.