Forest to cut down his rivals

LAST year’s Peter Marsh Chase at Haydock saw the emergence of Bristol De Mai as a major force in the jumps game.

Today’s contest had been the preserve of older horses until Nigel Twiston-Davies’ star grey blew that stat out of the water as a six-year-old.

And removing the age trend, our likely winner still needs to fit these criteria:

Run within the past 42 days. Won on heavy ground. Scored over at least three miles.

Of the four who remain, Yala Enki has failed to convert easier opportunities than this and comes from a yard still struggling for form. Highland Lodge is an Aintree specialist through and through, while Fine Rightly prefers small fields.

That leaves us with Lucinda Russell’s (above) FOREST DES AIGLES, who still looks well treated within the context of today’s race despite having risen 21lb since last October.

He jumps, travels and races prominently, so have 4pts win at 12-1 with Ladbrokes.

If all goes well here, the seven-year-old looks to have the Scottish Grand National at Ayr as a realistic long-term aim.