Fergie’s five
Paul Ferguson with a quintet who will be strutting their stuff in Liverpool
Paul Ferguson picks five to follow at Aintree
Here’ a quintet of horses to note at Aintree’s Grand National meeting who were not in action at Cheltenham.
BRANDON HILL (Tom George) Foxhunters’ Open Hunters’ Chase, Thursday
A smart handicap chaser for both Tom Lacey and then Tom George, Brandon Hill hasn’t won for more than two years (January 2017 at Newbury, off a mark of 127) but he has performed with great credit several times since. Runner-up to Becher Chase winner Walk In The Mill at Ascot in November 2017, on what was his debut for the George yard, the 11-year-old himself ran a blinder over the Grand National fences when just touched off by Warriors Tale in the Grand Sefton back in early-December.
At the time of writing, we have only seen him once since, when third behind the impressive Hazel Hill in a Warwick hunters’ chase, in which subsequent dual-winner Shantou Flyer finished 11 lengths behind Brandon Hill in fifth. He led and jumped well in the main – as he had the time before over the big fences – and his style of running is well-suited to the Grand National course over this 2m5f trip. He needs to run again – and finish in the first three in an open hunters’ chase – to qualify, but there are plenty of opportunities for him during March and that Warwick form might well look a whole lot better by the time you read this, with Hazel Hill second in the betting for the Foxhunter.
Obviously, there is a chance that horses from the Cheltenham race will come on to take their chance here and Stand Up And Fight would certainly be one to note over this trip as he possesses plenty of pace, but Brandon Hill has that crucial course form to his name and appears to have been trained with this race in mind.
ELDORADO ALLEN (Colin Tizzard) Top Novices’ Hurdle, Friday
We haven’t seen Eldorado Allen since he unseated Tom O’Brien here at Aintree on December 8 and he is by no means certain to turn up on ‘Ladies Day’ but I have included him in the slim hope that he does, as he had created a big impression on me when scoring at Sandown on his British debut. That Sandown race has worked out really well since – with the third, fourth and fifth advertising the form – and the highlight of his performance was how well he jumped. That was also a trait of his hurdles run at Auteuil and it was a huge disappointment that he was badly hampered on the approach to the first flight of hurdles at Aintree.
The same connections have Elixir de Nutz to consider for Aintree, too (currently prominent in the betting for the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham) and, if we don’t get to see Eldorado Allen again, make sure you keep him in the notebook for novice chases next season.
Another novice hurdler who was forced to miss the festival, but could return for the Top Novices’ (or even the Mersey) is Nicky Henderson’s Champagne Platinum. Another grey, he is two-from-two over timber for Henderson and JP McManus and, whilst the form wouldn’t amount to a great deal, he did it quite easily on both occasions. Henderson has won the Top Novices’ four times since 2010, with all four having taken their chance in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham. The focus in this race is always on the also-rans from the Festival opener, so this pair might just go under the radar a little.
LA BAGUE AU ROI (Warren Greatrex) Manifesto Novices’ Chase, Thursday / Mildmay Novices’ Chase, Friday
A high-class mare who has won all four starts over fences to date, latterly in the Flogas Novice Chase at the Dublin Racing Festival, after which Warren Greatrex suggested that she would sidestep the Cheltenham Festival with Aintree in mind. La Bague Au Roi had earlier won over 2m6 ½ f and 2m4f at Newbury (had the smart Lostintranslation in behind on both occasions) before winning the Grade 1 Kauto Star on Boxing Day, where she was too good for both Topofthegame and San
tini. That pair were first and second in the RSA Chase at Cheltenham, so her form looks even stronger.
Quick enough to take her chance in the opening contest of the meeting – the Manifesto Novices’ Chase – should it be soft ground, the Mildmay Novices’ Chase (over an extended 3m) would seem the more logical target. She won a bumper at the track back in October 2015 and finished sixth behind Finian’s Oscar in the 2017 Mersey Novices’ Hurdle, so clearly acts on the course. Wherever she turns up, she will be a huge threat under her sex-allowance.
Greatrex is also likely to saddle the unbeaten Emitom at Aintree. After deciding to swerve the Cheltenham Festival, the five-year-old headed to Newbury for what looked a competitive novices’ hurdle and duly maintained his 100% record, under a double-penalty. It was a fair effort and he now looks set to step up in grade, with the Sefton Novices’ Hurdle (Friday) and the 2m4f Mersey (Saturday) the options.
TEDHAM (Jonjo O’Neill) Alder Hey Children’s Charity Handicap Hurdle, Friday
A winner at Wincanton back in earlyJanuary, Tedham wasn’t given any handicap entries at the Cheltenham Festival and he looks the type who will be well-suited to Aintree, as he isn’t short of speed. An eye-catcher in a Warwick bumper last April, he bumped into some smart novices on his first three starts over hurdles, including Al Dancer and Getaway Trump. Handed an opening mark of 125, he travelled really well en route to scoring with a bit in hand at Wincanton, showing himself to be fully effective on good ground. The fifth home, Earl of the cots wolds, franked that form by winning easily next time at Market Rasen and he was a shade unlucky not to follow up in a slowlyrun race at Ludlow recently.
Tedham is now 6lbs higher (131) so might just sneak into the opening race on day two at Aintree and two-and-ahalf miles around a sharp track like this could be right up his street. If he lines up he is very much one for any shortlist.
TIMETOCHILL (Kelly Morgan) Goffs Nickel Coin Mares’ Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race, Thursday
There are plenty of possible contenders for both bumpers at the Grand National meeting and I have a few on the shortlist for this Grade 2 mares’ event, but I have selected Timetochill – at this early stage – as she is one who is likely to be underestimated, given the fact that she hails from the Leicestershire-based stable of Kelly Morgan.
Morgan doesn’t have many horses in training, but she will saddle Red Indian in the Close Brothers Novices’ Handicap Chase on the opening day of the Cheltenham Festival and this dualbumper winner is on target to take her chance in the concluding contest on day one at Aintree.
Unable to make an impact in three Irish Points, the Scorpion mare won impressively on her Rules debut in a bumper at Kelso in November, before following up in taking fashion in a Listed event at Huntingdon. The second and sixth from the Kelso race have both won a bumper since, while Silver Forever (3rd) franked the Huntingdon form by winning well under a penalty at Ascot.
Timetochill will have more on her plate here – with Leopardstown Grade 2 winner Santa Rossa a possible – but she handles a sharp track and decent ground, and I would expect her to go well under Ross Chapman.
Santa Rossa will probably bring the strongest form to the race, if she does travel over from Ireland, but she will be burdened with a penalty.