The Irish horse racing broadcaster offers up his picks for the opening day of the Grand National Festival at Aintree, including one in the Aintree Hurdle.
13:45
The return to this longer trip is a major plus for Arkle hero Jango Baie but I still feel he is worth taking on in what is a fair contest. Last year’s Aintree Hurdle winner Impaire Et Passe is better than he showed at the Dublin Racing Festival in February and may be able to reverse that form with Croke Park. However my vote goes to GIDLEIGH PARK / , whose defeat of Caldwell Potter at Windsor reads much better now and who himself is sure to appreciate today’s step up in distance. He should have plenty more to offer after just seven career starts.
14:20
Lulamba’s defection has opened this up considerably and PUTURHANDSTOGETHER / looks in pole position to capitalise on the absence of the Triumph runner-up. This smart flat performer could hardly have been more impressive in the Fred Winter at Cheltenham.
14:55
SPILLANE’S TOWER / remains a chaser of some potential and Jimmy Mangan’s stable star is taken to notch a first Grade 1 success in open company. Reportedly off-colour after proving a disappointing favourite for the King George, the seven year-old was previously an excellent second to Fact To File at Punchestown and if back in the same form now he could prove too strong for Grey Dawning.
15:30
A mouth-watering renewal of rivalry between Constitution Hill and LOSSIEMOUTH / , and the 2m4f trip tilts the balance in favour of Willie Mullins’ mare. To her immense credit she managed to get within 2 1/2 lengths of her big rival in Kempton’s Christmas Hurdle despite never appearing to be travelling well and rebounded from her subsequent tumble at Leopardstown with an effortless second win in Cheltenham’s Mares Hurdle. Nicky Henderson’s charge is now the one who needs to bounce back from a fall, having come down four out in the Champion Hurdle, and he was no more than workmanlike when landing this race in 2023. It will be interesting to see if the unbeaten Wodhooh can make any impression on the big two.
16:05
I’m happy to sit this one out, though Willitgoahead ran a big race at Cheltenham and should go well along with the talented but fragile My Drogo.
16:40
MY MATE MOZZIE / hasn’t won since October 2023 but the likeable nine year-old has turned in countless good efforts in the intervening period and will surely be in the mix again here. Keith Donoghue’s mount will be better suited by this track than Cheltenham, where he was an honourable fourth in last month’s Grand Annual, and conditions ought to be just about perfect.
17:15
SEO LINN / was put by for this after scoring at Cheltenham in November and can execute the long-term plan. Expect top flat jockey Billy Lee to ride a confident race on the Order Of St George mare, who may well switch codes herself after this.
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