COMBINATION FOR SATURDAY
CHASE FORM
All 11 previous winners had at least 10 previous chase runs, 10 had at least three previous chase wins, eight had at least four previous chase wins.
RATING
Nine of the previous 11 winners were rated between 148-160.
GRADE WINS
Six winners had at least one win at Graded level.
SEASON FORM
All 11 previous winners had at least three previous runs that season, seven had at least four previous runs, 10 winners had no more than six runs, seven had at least one previous win that season.
PATIENCE has been the key word to Nicky Henderson’s success and he hopes it will again be rewarded when Buveur D’Air runs in today’s Betway Aintree Hurdle.
The 10-year-old, twice the winner of the Champion Hurdle, spent 420 days on the sidelines after a piece of wood was lodged in his hoof after running at Newcastle two years ago.
Following a satisfactory return in January, Henderson ruled out a third crack at last month’s Champion Hurdle.
“He had a little hiccup before Cheltenham and that helped make the decision to switch to Aintree,” said Henderson
“I think an extra half mile will help him.
“He certainly wouldn’t want fast ground. He is in very good form. He schooled last week and was as electric as ever. He is in great shape.”
Victory for the JP McManus-owned gelding, winner in 2017, would enable the Lambourn trainer to equal Toby Balding’s five wins in the race.
Henderson, the only British trainer to saddle two winners at last month’s Cheltenham Festival where the Irish ran riot, is not short of bullets for Aintree.
NEXT RUN
None of the 11 previous winners won on their next run after the Grand National.
FOLLOWING GRAND NATIONAL RUN
Seven of the last 11 winners ran in the next season’s race, one of seven won, two came in the top three, five finished in the top 10.
Sishkin, the flawless Arkle Chase winner, lines up in Saturday’s Doom Bar Maghull Chase.
“This seems the obvious place to come as he seems a sharp horse and I don’t see the need to go any further at the moment,” explained Henderson.
“The tracks couldn’t be more different if you tried and this is a sharp track, but he is a speed horse.”
Chantry House, left, talked about as a serious player for next season’s Gold Cup, will be hoping to add to his success in the Marsh Chase at Cheltenham in tomorrow’s Betway Mildmay Chase.
“It did look as if he was crying out for three miles at Cheltenham,” said Henderson. “We know he stays two and a half really well. If we try this trip now, we will know where to go next season.”
Henderson believes the step up to three miles in today’s Betway Bowl will be ideal for Mister Fisher.
Having captured tomorrow’s Randox Topham Trophy on five occasions, Henderson is leaving nothing to chance as he is expected to run Caribean Boy, Lust For Glory, Morning Vicar and Precious Cargo.
SPIRITED: Seagram wins the race sponsored by his namesake, Seagram’s – a Canadian company who make whiskey