Aintree – 12:00
There’s a cracking day of racing on Saturday, Aintree, Navan and Sandown are all of interest. It starts in Liverpool at noon with a mares chase that’s been rescheduled from Carlisle. `Casablanca Mix of Nicky Henderson is probably the one they’ll all have to beat, but Listen Dear slots in for Willie Mullins since the race was reopened. The track, the ground and the trip will all suit her and she’ll give Casablanca Mix a race.
Aintree – 1:30
The Becher Chase is a cracker. Alpha des Obeaux, Ballyoptic, Definitely Red, One for Arthur, Vieux Lion Rouge, there’s a pile of good horses in this one, but the one I’m going for is Mulcahy’s Hill. I thought he did well to beat Wholestone in a novice chase at Cheltenham and he could be unexposed.
Aintree – 2:40
Black Corton, Might bite, Native River, which one do you go for? It looks like Might Bite lost his way too much last year, so the course and ground might suit Native River best.
Aintree – 3:15
In the Grand Sefton over those big Aintree fences, I’m going to go for one of Eric McNamara’s who got brought down on his last day out, Gwencily Berbas.
Navan – 12:05
Tiger Tap Tap, Pure Genius and Festival D’ex are the names in this maiden hurdle. Festival D’ex was a good winner in the Landrover Bumper, he could be the one for Gordon Elliott.
Navan – 1.05
Willie Mullins runs three in the 1:05 pm at Navan, Acapella Bourgeois, Pleasant Company and Dandy Mag. None of them are easy to place, but Noel Meade looks to have found some opportunity for Tout Est Permis, who gets in at the bottom at 9st 10lbs.
Navan – 1:35
Willie is running Voix Des Tiep here. He doesn’t have to have improved much from his Nass run to win here, and we think he’s improved a bit.
Navan – 2:10
If Voix Des Tiep has won the 1:35, Tornado Flyer is going to be a short price in this, as he beat Voix Des Tiep in that Naas race. We think he’s a very good horse, it’s an ideal opportunity for him to show it, and he’ll be too good for I’m A Game Changer.
Navan – 3:20
The last race at Navan, Willie is running En Beton. The course suits him, but he’s more of a three-mile chaser.
Sandown – 1:50
This is the first of two Grade 1 chases, and England really needs to find an Arkle horse. Grand Sancy, Nube Negra, Summerville Boy and Torpillo are at the head of the market. Grand Sancy is my pick, but one of them needs to be good to make the Irish horses go in the Arkle.
Sandown – 3:00
This is one of my favourite races of the year, the Tingle Creek. Defi Du Seuil, Un De Sceaux, Ornua, Politologue, Sceau Royal, Janika, this should be a great contest. Un De Sceaux and Ornua both like to front-run, and that’ll suit Politologue, but Defi Du Seuil is improving and he was good in the Shloer Chase, and I think he’ll be too good in this as well.
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