Tom’s lion ready to roar

BACK VIEUX LION ROUGE (Haydock, 3.15) to maul his rivals in today’s Betfred Grand National Trial Handicap.

David Pipe’s consistent stayer has struck up a remarkable partnership with Tom Scudamore and the combination boast excellent claims of landing a second north west marathon chase of the campaign.

The duo teamed up to land the Becher Chase at Aintree before Christmas when overhauling the gallant Highland Lodge and that last-gasp win took Scudamore’s record on the eight-year-old to 10 wins from 14 starts.

Seventh in last year’s Grand National, Vieux Lion Rouge has already won at Haydock and it could be significant he has been allowed to take his chance once his weight for this year’s National has been allotted.

The selection goes well fresh so his 77-day absence won’t be an inconvenience and he is fancied to see off the well-backed Blaklion.

Those looking for a doublefigure wager may consider Sue Smith’s Wakanda at a price as the gelding is unbeaten in two starts in races of 13 or more runners — which suggests he loves a big-field contest. The yard’s horses are in good form, too.

Cue Card will no doubt outclass his foes in the Betfair Ascot Chase, but I can’t help thinking TAQUIN DU SEUIL (Ascot, nb, 3.35) is a shade overpriced given few of this small field would have been good enough to run as well as he did in the Lexus Chase over Christmas.

Hopefully, the decision to equip ALCATRAZ (Kempton, nap, 7.15) with cheekpieces for the first time could assist the five-year-old to concentrate a little more than he managed last time when he was mugged on the line. The selection had quickened up well from the rear of the field that day and was more than a shade unfortunate not to score. He can gain compensation tonight.