Aintree Saturday

1.20 William Hill Top Price Guarantee Handicap Hurdle 3m 149yd

I normally like to find those who can finish off well in handicap hurdles at this meeting, but the majority of the runners in this particular contest tend to be held up, and that is likely to give an advantage to those who can race on the front end, with more chance of controlling the pace.

The obvious one is Bill Joyce, but while I thought little about the fitting of a tongue tie at first, the stats for Jonjo O’Neill and the breathing aid are now off-putting, and all 13 horses fitted with a tongue tie since A.J. O’Neill was added to the licence have been unplaced. That is certainly a negative, and I prefer the claims of Building Bridges for the father/son team of Gary and Oran McGill who beat the useful Idem giving him weight at Perth when last seen over hurdles and who remains on a workable mark.

Building Bridges had a poor record for the yard when ridden patiently but has been transformed by positive tactics and has a lifetime record of 31131413 when sent to the front in his races. He’s suited by a sound surface and while absent since a good third on the flat in October, also has an excellent record fresh, with five of his six wins for current connections coming off a break of at least 54 days.

1.55 Turners Mersey Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 1) 2m 4f

Lulamba will be hard to beat here, with the longer trip likely to suit after his Triumph Hurdle second where he rallied strongly up the hill, but I was very taken by Fingle Bridge at Exeter earlier in the season, and if given his chance, he has the ability to run a big race at rewarding odds.

Fingle Bridge dug deep to outstay odds-on favourite Regent’s Stroll in a listed race that has thrown up some smart sorts over the years. He was ruled out of Cheltenham by Olly Murphy due to his pronounced knee action, and the strapping son of Flemensfirth certainly hits the ground with some force.

That has to be a slight concern, but a flatter track will help, and he is a physically imposing gelding who is sure to go on to better things in time. It makes no sense that he should be a bigger price than the more exposed Regent’s Stroll and I’m sure Murphy wouldn’t risk him if unhappy with the ground.

2.30 William Hill (Freebooter) Handicap Chase 3m 210yd

It’s a shame that Myretown misses this race as his presence would have ensured a true gallop, but hopefully that will still be the case, and Doctor Ken makes plenty of appeal on his return from a break. The lightly-raced Doctor Dino gelding has a good strike rate when making it to the track, winning two of his four chases and finishing second to well-handicapped rivals on the other two outings, most recently finishing a creditable one-and-a-quarter-length second of seven to Es Perfecto in a novice handicap at Kempton in November when conceding that useful rival 12lb.

Es Perfecto won off a 4lb higher mark on his penultimate start and was caught on the line for a place in the Jack Richards (Golden Miller) at Cheltenham last month when rated 132, which makes Doctor Ken look fairly handicapped having gone up just 2lb to 135 for that Kempton effort.

Doctor Ken suggested he would stay beyond three miles when winning a two-mile, seven-furlong chase at Taunton in 2023 before a lengthy absence.

He’s obviously hard to keep sound and has probably been set aside for this meeting, at which Olly Murphy loves to get a winner.

3.05 Ivy Liverpool Hurdle

(Grade 1) 3m 149yd

On the subject of Olly Murphy at Aintree, he is bidding to land back-to-back renewals of the Liverpool Hurdle with the enigma that is Strong Leader and it’s easy to forgive his latest effort in the Cleeve Hurdle which came at a track he doesn’t seem to like and fairly quickly after wind surgery. He has always been at his best on a sound surface and in the spring, and I can see him leaving a couple of moderate efforts behind returned to Aintree and on good ground. He has been beaten only once in three runs at this track, and that was when an excellent second in the Grade 1 Top Novices’ Hurdle over two miles here in 2023.

The selection can make mistakes and was less than fluent in the home straight last year but still slammed Buddy One and Hiddenvalley Lake for an impressive win and as with last year, he’s been kept fresh for this by his trainer, who opted to swerve Cheltenham again.

4.00 Randox Grand National Handicap Chase 4m 2f 74yd

See runner-by-runner-guide for full details (page 56)

Class should again come to the fore in the Grand National now that the fences don’t sort the runners out, but this still looks a very competitive renewal with at least a dozen runners arriving at Aintree with strong credentials, and it’s hard to knock any of the market leaders unduly. Minella Cocooner is a classy performer who improved last spring to be third in the Irish National before winning the Bet365 Gold Cup on good ground. He is narrowly the pick given conditions, although both Nick Rockett and Intense Raffles were ahead of him in the Bobbyjo Chase last time and merit a strong mention with that race looking the key to unlocking this year’s National.

Intense Raffles would have almost certainly been my pick on soft ground, but faster ground is an unknown, while Nick Rockett has more weight to carry to uphold Fairyhouse form but has drifted to a very attractive price having been shunned by the weights and measures mob and by Paul Townend.

He’s getting too big to ignore, while Iroko looks best of the home team having caught the eye of the stewards earlier in the season. His second to Inothewayurthinkin here a year ago looks very smart form, but he’s managed to keep the handicapper at arm’s length since and is clearly well handicapped.

5.00 Rosconn Group Maghull Novices’ Chase (Grade 1)

1m 7f 176yd

Touch Me Not was far too keen racing wide in the Arkle and may be worth another try to small stakes. He was better than the result when second to L’Eau Du Sud at Sandown in December and again impressed with his jumping when chasing home Majborough in the Irish Arkle at the DRF. He has something to find with the favourite, but not as much as the betting would suggest, and is worth forgiving his one poor run over fences.

Recommended:

Building Bridges 1.20 Aintree – 1pt e/w 25/1 (Sky Bet – 7 pl; 28/1 Paddy Power 6 pl)

Fingle Bridge 1.55 Aintree – 1pt e/w 16/1 (Bet365; 14/1 general)

Doctor Ken 2.30 Aintree – 1pt win 15/2 (Betfair, Paddy Power; 7/1 general)

Strong Leader 3.05 Aintree – 1pt win 13/2 (Unibet; 6/1 general)

Minella Cocooner 4.00 Aintree – 1pt e/w 14/1 (Unibet – 6pl; Ladbrokes & Coral 5 pl)

Nick Rockett 4.00 Aintree – 1pt e/w 28/1 (Sky Bet, Spreadex – 6 pl)