Rest of Aintree

The rest of the Aintree card is also extremely interesting, as befits their biggest fixture of the year. The card opens with the Grade Two Mersey Novices Hurdle at 14.45 CET, in which the unbeaten Peddlers Cross (Donald McCain/ Jason Maguire) looks the day´s best bet. He looks to be a horse with tremendous potential, and although favourites have a poor record here, he should be able to buck this trend. The Maghull Novices chase over 2 miles follows at 15.15 and looks much more open. There are 3 German-breds in this, and all of them have a chance. Bergo (Gary Moore/ Tony McCoy) has won his last 5 races and is still on the upgrade, while Noble Alan (Nicky Richards/ Brian Harding) is also a multiple winner - in lesser grade races- and Schelm (Ronnie O´Leary/ David Casey) also has form at this level. The one to beat is Osana (Edward O´Grady/ Andrew McNamara), third in the Arkle at Cheltenham, which is the best form on offer here.

The Dick Francis Aintree Hurdle, a Grade One event over 2 1/2 miles at 15.50, sees the 2nd, 3rd amd 4th from the Champion Hurdle resume rivalry- Khyber Kim (Nigel Twiston-Davies/ Paddy Brennan), Zaynar (Nicky Henderson/ Barry Geraghty) and Celestial Halo (Paul Nicholls/ Ruby Walsh). With the Henderson stable stlll in great form we prefer Zaynar, who is running over his idaal distance. Muirhead (Noel Meade/ Paul Carberry) could run well here at a big price. The handicaps look very tricky with big fields (tho´ obviously not as big or as tricky as the National itself!). Our 3 against the field are: Seven is my Number, Wogan and From Dawn to Dusk in the chase at 16.25, and the 3 top-weights Dee Ee Williams, Ghizao (German-bred!) and Issaquah in the hurdle race for conditional jockeys and amateurs at 18.00. The final race is a Grade Two bumper with 20 runners, 12 of them last-time-out winners, and looks almost impossible.

Betting forecast:
1. Race: Peddlers Cross - Najaf - Bygones Of Brid
2. Race: Osana - Tataniano - Bergo
3. Race: Zaynar - Khyber Kim - Celestial Halo
4. Race: From Dawn To Dusk - Wogan - Au Courant
5. Race: Big Fella Thanks - Mon Mome - Arbor Supreme
6. Race: Dee Ee Williams - Issaquah - Zanir
7. Race: Don`T Turn Bach - Megastar - Dare Me