Becher Chase at Aintree

Thoughts of the Grand National will be in most people´s minds at Aintree today as the two top events are run over the National fences- the Becher Chase over 3 1/4 miles at 14.30 and the Grand Sefton over shorter at 16.15. Both races could provide valuable clues to the big meting and the former race in particular is an important tial for theNational itself; several of today´s huge field of 25 ran there last season, or in the Scottish, Welsh, irish and other equivalents. Obviously course experience is a huge advantage here, and we expect last year´s winner Chance Du Roy (Philip Hobbs/ Tom O´Brien) to play a leading role again despite being now 6 lbs higher. Clearly there are many dangers, of whom we would mention Renard (Venetia Williams/ Liam Treadwell), The Package (David Pipe/ Tom Scudamore), Irish raider Goonyella (Jim Dreaper/ Jonathan Burke) and Highland Lodge (Emma Lavelle/ Andrew Thornton).Paul Nicholls has a strong Hand in thr Grand Sefton with top-weight Rolling Aces (Nick Scholfield) and last year´s winner Rebel Rtebellion (Ryan Mahon), where bennys Mist (venetia/ Trteadwell) and Bob Ford (Rebecca Curtis/ Jamie Moore) could be ther main threats. Ex-German Nexius (Keith Dalgleish/ Keith Renwick) - third to Novellist in the 2012 Union-Rennen- has really improved over hurdles and has gone up 30 lbs for winning his last 3 races; he still has a decent chance in the handicap hurdle at 15.05, but we just prefer Mijhaar (John Ferguson/ Jamie Moore).

Betting forecast:
1. Race: Ballybolley - Area Fifty One - Great Try
2. Race: Nyanza - Announcement - Hannah`s Magic
3. Race: Baileys Concerto - Distime - Bincombe
4. Race: Chance Du Roy - Balbriggan - Goonyella
5. Race: Secrete Stream - Dawalan - Nexius
6. Race: Holywell - Ma Filleule - Sam Winner
7. Race: Rolling Aces - Rebel Rebellion - Dolatulo

Exeter and Sandown

today´s action is all in the south of England, with both Exeter and Sandown having strong N.H. cards, while there is all-weather flat racing at Lingfield, as well as this evening at Wolverhampton and Dundalk (Ireland).
There are some smart performers racing at Sandown, but the fields are very small and only 5 line up for the main event, a Grade Two novice hurdle at 14.55 CET. Four of them are unbeaten this season, including Vyta du Roc (Nicky Henderson/ Barry Geraghty), but he has 3 lbs extra for winning a similar race at Cheltenham last time. Ordo Ab Chao (Alan King/ Denis O´Regan) and Shantou Bob (Warren Greatrex/ Gavin Sheehan) both look distinctly useful, but at these weights our choice is the mare Tara Point (Paul Nicholls/ Sam Twiston-Davies). Trainer and jockey can complete a quick double ijn the next race, a listed chase over 3 mjiles, with Black Thunder, who has to concede weight but is also clear best on ratings. Each way betting is barely possible here., but we like Howlongisafoot (Nicholls/ Twiston-Davies) at 14.30 and Net Work Rouge (Kim Bailey/ Jason Maguire) at 16.30.
The fields are bigger at Exeter and it is interesting that some of the top jockeys are here, notably AP McCoy and Richard Johnson. McCoy´s main reason is to partner Jonjo O´Neill´s American Legend in the Devon Marathon over 4 miles at 16.20. He has a chance, but this is a very tricky race with several runners moving up in distance, and the drying ground also a factor to be considered. Johnson rides top-weight Benbane Head for Martin Keighley, while his trainer Philip Hobbs saddles the lightweight Milosam with Tom O´Brien aboard. For Hobbs, Johnson partners Horizontal Speed in the hot novice chase at 14.10 and the penalised Hello George in the novice hurdle at 15.15 and both come on the short list. Paul Nicholls also has runners here and he can take the handicap chase at 14.40 with Wilton Milan (Jack Sherwood), a winner without a penalty as he runs off the same mark as when easily winning at Newbury last week with the same claimer in the saddle.

Betting forecast:
1. Race: Baraka De Thaix - Baron Alco - Bivouac
2. Race: In Fairness - Howlongisafoot - Panama Petrus
3. Race: Vyta Du Roc - Tara Point - Shantou Bob
4. Race: Corrin Wood - Dare To Endeavour - Rocky Bender
5. Race: Ballyallia Man - Coolking - Handy Andy
6. Race: Theinval - Jayo Time - As De Mee

5 meetings today

four jumps cards this afternoon, plus an all-weather twilight meeting at Kempton, and with the weather improving and the ground drying out, there are some bigger fields today, especially at the Irish meeting at Clonmel. However most of the races are of low standard and probably the best card is at Wincanton, where there are two very competitive handicaps. Buck´s Bond (Paul Nicholls/ Sam Twiston-Davies) attempts to repeat his 2013 victory in the chase over 3 miles+ at 15.15 CET and has an obvious chance for the top local trainer. Top-weight Silver Commander (Philip Hobbs/ Richard Johnson) is having his first start for this in-form stable but is probably best watched after a year off, while ex-French Ziga Boy (Alan King/ Tom Bellamy) must also be considered after 3 relatively meaningless starts in the U.K. Half an hour later they go 2 miles over hurdles in another very tricky race. Ronaldinho (King/ Noel fehily) and Canadian Diamond (Bremndan Powell/ James Banks) could both be nicely handicapped now after a long losing run, but neither seems completely reliable and we expect the race to lie between Rayvin Black (Oliver Sherwood/ Thomas Garner), who made a good comeback after a year off, and Minella Definitely (Neil Mulholland/ Mikey Hamill); Connections seem to have found the key to the latter, who is much improved this season and we think that he can complete the hat-trick.
Mulholland also runs a hat-trick seeker at Leicester, Ballydague Lady (Martin McIntyre) who runs at 16.20 after winning twice in the past 8 days; she is bound to take a steep hike in the weights. so it makes sense to run her again so quickly under a fixed penalty, as she appears very well handicapped fort this race. main opposition should come from Easy Beasy (Warren Greatrex/ Gavin Sheehan), who was still going well in the lead when falling 3 out last time. Greatrex and Sheehan start the day at Market Rasen, where they have fancied runners in the first 2 races - Blue Atlantic at 13.20 and Warrantor half an hour later. Both are penalised for winning last time and are possibly vulnerable, so we prefer Pain au Chocolat (King/ Denis O´Regan) and Weststreet (Sherwood/ Leighton Aspell) respectively.

Betting forecast:
1. Race: Sportsreport - Pod - Fuse Wire
2. Race: Black Narcissus - Kilronan High - Ice Tres
3. Race: Muckle Roe - Polamco - Comte D`anjou
4. Race: Buck`s Bond - Lily Waugh - Silver Commander
5. Race: Minella Definitely - Powerful Action - Rayvin Black
6. Race: Ray Diamond - Quite By Chance - Champagne N Caviar
7. Race: Ivor`s Queen - Flashyfrank - Do We Like Him