Rest of Aintree

The remainder of the Aintree card is also strong with 3 Grade One races and some very competitive handicaps. The opening novice hurdle at 14.30 CET looks wide open. Nicky Hemndersin had 3 winners yesterfday and saddles two runners, with stable jocvkey Barry geraghty on Oscar Hoof, a very easy winner last time in a lower grade. Paul Nicholls runs the Shirocco gelding Lac Fontana (Tony McCoy), a much improved handicapper and in our view well up to this class. Dell´Arca (David Pipe/ Tom Scudamore) also has a German background and is by Sholokhov; he ran well at Cheltenham and is definitely one for short list.

The novice chase at 15.05 features the tearaway Next Sensation (Michael and Tom Scudamore). He did not get home at Cheltenham, but this track is much easier, and if he gets a soft lead could well last home. The classier Balder Succes (Alan King/ Wayne Hutchinson) and Trifolium (Charlie Byrnes/ McCoy) will however be on their guard and waiting to pounce.

The Liverpool Hurdle over 3 miles+ at 15.50 is probably between At Fishers Cross (Rebecca Curtis/ McCoy) and Zarkandar (Nicholls/ Noel Fehily), who finished third and fourth at Cheltenham. At this track, where he has already won twice, we prefer Zarkandar. Thousand Stars (Willie Mullins/ Paul Townend) ran better last time and is a threat, as is Melodic Rendezvous (Jeremy Scott/ Nick Scholfield) if it rains.

The Grand natuonal is of couzrse the togiuhest handivcap of all, but the other two handicaps on todays Card are also very tricky. Our two against the field are Victor Hewgo (Keith and James Reveley) and 2012 winner Saint Are (Tim Vaughan/ Dougie Costello) over fences at 16.25 and Katgary (Nicholls/ Harry Derham) and German-bred Nesterenko (Henderson/ Nico de Boinville) over sticks at 18.10.

Henderson and Geraghty can conclude a successful meeting by the winning the final race, a bumper at 18.45, with Bringithomeminty; however with 13 last-time-out winners in the field, this is not really a race to bet on.

Betting forecast:
1. Race: Sea Lord - Volnay De Thaix - Wilde Blue Yonder
2. Race: Trifolium - Hinterland - Balder Succes
3. Race: At Fishers Cross - Zarkandar - Melodic Rendezvous
4. Race: Unioniste - Victor Hewgo - Gullinbursti
5. Race: Teaforthree - Monbeg Dude - Long Run
6. Race: Somethingwonderful - Drumlee - Katgary
7. Race: Bringithomeminty - Modus - Our Kaempfer