4 jumps meetings today

while the flat season is going out with a flourish, the N.H. season is now really getting under way and there are some good performers in action, notably at Aintree, where the main event is the Old Roan Chase over 2 1/2 miles at 16.25 CET. 4 of the 6 runners met over CD in April, where Alberta ´s Run (Jonjo O´Neill/ Tony McCoy) was a good winner, with Monet´s Garden (Nicky Richards/ Dougie Costello) third, Tartak (Tom George / Paddy Brennan) fourth and Poquelin (Paul Nicholls/ Barry Geraghty) unseating his jockey. That race was at level weights, but today´s event is a limited handicap and we expect a different result this afternoon, as Alberta´s Run will have to put up a super performance to give weight to these opponents. Monet´s Garden is 12 years old but he loves this track and has already won this race twice. However in our view Tartak is the one to beat at these weights.
Some promising types line up in the Garde Two Persian War novice hurdle at Chepstow at 16.35, where Captain Chris (Philip Hobbs/ Richard Johnson) and Silviano Conti (Paul Nicholls/ Noel Fehily), who have both won their last 3 starts, stand out. The valuable handicap hurdle here at 17.10 can go to Working Title (Nicky Henderson/ David Bass), a very easy winner last time; he is up in the weights, but seemed to have plenty left in the tank.
At Stratford, Paint the Clouds (Wilfred Greatrex/ Leighton Aspell) should win the maiden hurdle at 17.25, while in Ireland we hope to see Araucauria (John Kiely/ Andrew McNamara) -not related to the good German hurdler of a few years ago - take the mares hurdle at 16.15 at Wexford.

Betting forecast Aintree:
1. Race: Mille Chief - Nearby - Westlin` Winds
2. Race: Safari Adventures - Big Burrows - Fortysecond Street
3. Race: Poquelin - Monet`S Garden - Albertas Run
4. Race: Rey Nacarado - Identity Parade - Court Red Handed
5. Race: Character Building - Irish Raptor - Our Jasper
6. Race: Medermit - Rock Noir - Wessex King
7. Race: Scoter Fontaine - Ballybriggan - Mediolanum