Start of the Grand National Festival with Constitution Hill

Aintree, Thursday, 13 April: The famous Grand National Festival starts today near Liverpool in Aintree. Until Saturday numerous classics are on the programme. In the Bowl Chase (3rd race/15.55pm/250,000 pounds/5020m) a successor will be sought two years after Clan des Obeaux. Following in the footsteps of the champion could be Bravemansgame (Harry Cobden), who finished a strong second to Conflated (Keith Donoghue) in the Cheltenham Gold Cup (Group 1). In that fixture A Plus Tard (Rachael Blackmore) did not get over the jump without an accident, as he did earlier in the Lancashire Chase (Group 1). The 2022 Gold Cup winner will be judged on his previous performances. Shishkin (Nico de Boinville) ran in the Ryanair Chase (Group 1) at the Festival and finished second to Go Law (Jonathan Burke). The nine-year-old won the Ascot Chase (Group 1) in high style. Ahoy Senor (Brian Hughes) also has a recent success in the Cotswold Chase (Group 2).

Arguably the best active steeplechase horse is Constitution Hill (Nico de Boinville), who contests the Aintree Hurdle (4th race/16.30pm/250,000 pounds/4023m). Six starts, six wins are the unblemished record of the Nicky Henderson-trained six-year-old, who has twice upset Epatante (Aidan Coleman) this season. Last year`s winner did not finish higher than eighth behind Honeysuckle at Cheltenham recently. Zanahiyr (Davy Russell) finished a creditable third behind Constitution Hill at Cheltenham.