ULTRA CONFIDENT
SPIRITOFTHEGAMES has run third in the Betfair Hurdle and fifth in the County Hurdle.
Those are both over two miles but he is just as adept at two and a half.
His second to William Henry at Kempton in January over two, five is at least as good as his subsequent efforts over the minimum trip.
is a reliable sort that stays the trip.
was beaten 10 lengths at Cheltenham on the same handicap mark as he races off today, so needs to improve. The same applies to
whose three wins have all come in midwinter over two miles.
is a specialist two-miler whose stamina is an unknown quantity. SELECTION: SPIRITOFTHEGAMES EACH-WAY: Zubayr LAY: Lough Derg Spirit STYLE DE GARDE is a great bet at around 12-1 this morning.
His second of 22 to Veneer Of Charm in a £75,000 handicap hurdle at Cheltenham has clearly been underrated by punters so far.
He could well start the wrong side of 10-1 so get on early each-way.
is a fresh horse, having missed the Festival. Rated 122 when with Jonjo O’Neill at the start of the season, he has shot unto 149 in the care of Ben Pauling.
That trainer has done well with his full-brother, A Hare Breath, so the move made since and has worked out well.
The chances are we have not seen the best of Global Citizen yet, and he is the BHA top-rated in the race.
ran respectably SELECTION: STYLE DE GARDE EACH-WAY: Vision Des Flos LAY: Scarlet Dragon TERREFORT (nap) is my banker of the day. He has finished in the money in all See front page SELECTION: BALKO DES FLOS EACH-WAY: Cloudy Dream LAY: Politologue The coward’s way out when analysing a race over the National fences is to go with one that did well in the same race last year.
It worked yesterday with Balnaslow, so I will go with ULTRAGOLD which won last year’s Randox health Topham Chase.
That was admittedly something of a fluke – he was 50-1 – but the return to Aintree might bring out the best in him after a fruitless season.
out in a clear round to finish fifth 12 months ago.
Theatre Territory has never fallen but s been placed in all his races this year and is ridden by the amateur with the best record over the National fences.
Navan winner has never fallen but seems to have lost his way this side of Christmas. SELECTION: ULTRAGOLD EACH-WAY: Theatre Territory LAY: Polidam