French red who can be the toast of Merseyside
The red half of Merseyside will probably be all aboard Definitly Red to win this afternoon’s Randox health Grand National and the Liverpool fans siding with Brian ellison’s improving chaser could send him off a well-backed favourite for the Aintree feature.
however, those who studied French at school may prefer the chances of another ‘red’ in the form of VIEUX LION ROUGE (Aintree, 5.15) who has outstanding claims to lifting racing’s greatest prize.
A creditable seventh in the race last year when an immature shell of a horse, David Pipe’s gelding has filled into his frame and enhanced his incredible relationship with rider Tom Scudamore this term.
The partnership has continued to flourish with victories in Aintree’s ntree’s Becher Chase and the haydockdock National Trial, wins that have ave left the duo’s form figureses standing at an incredible e 11111133111211 when they have finished.
Scudamore wasn’t on board 12 months ago but he was instrumental last November when snatchingg the Becher in the dying ng strides from the grasp of highghland Lodge who has been kept fresh for this race ever since. .
Jimmy Moffatt’s highland Lodge narrowly missed getting a run in last year’s renewal, but his exploits before Christmas ensured there was no such agony for connections and he boasts a good record following an absence so he could easily be in the mix again at his favourite venue.
Ucello Conti was a place in front of Vieux Lion Rouge in sixth last year and was hard on the hooves of the leaders in the Becher, narrowly behind The Last Samuri as both continue to enhance their Aintree reputations.
I am hoping the Becher is the pivotal piece of form going into today’s feature and it is with a heavy heart that The Last Samuri is overlooked as the main selection, given he possesses all the credentials to once again run a huge race.
Connections of Charbel felt their charge would have taken the beating in the Arkle Chase won by Altior, but for falling two fences from home. he will be priced as if that assumption is correct here in the Doom Bar Maghull Novices’ Chase and may well win, but at odds-on makes little appeal. There should be a little more juice in the price of SAN BENEDETO (Aintree, nb, 3.00) who is going from strength to strength at the moment and arrives on the back of a smooth Ascot win last weekend. The track and ground should play to the strengths of a strong-travelling in-form chaser and he could spring a mini surprise. Those wanting to back HENRI PARRY
MORGAN (Aintree, nap, 3.40) to win a competitive handicap chase probably need to have a good memory as the selection’s last decent performance came at this meeting 12 months ago.
Peter Bowen’s nine-year-old has spent a winter in the doldrums courtesy of being asked to tackle testing conditions, but the result has been a significant easing in his handicap mark which enables him to tackle today’s event from an attractive rating. henri PParry Morgan may not be the horse he was last season when tryinging tto beat Native River in a grade onone race (he only failed by three l lengths),the et rivals but he it tacklesis all relativeand he to ccould outrun this morning’s ddouble-figure price.
It wasn’t so long ago that YYanworth was being talked of as a Champion hurdle winner in waiting and yet, just three weeweeks later, he finds himself tacklingling threeth miles for the first time. he may wellw find significant improvement, but there could also be more to come from SUPASUNDAE (Aintree, 4.20) who also moves up in distance for the first time and is ridden by man of the moment Robbie Power. The Coral Cup is a brutal race, but Jessie harrington’s gelding lifted that competitive handicap with something in hand and is progressing nicely.
Two lightly weighted novices catch the eye in the handicaps that top and tail the day with the Dan Skelton-trained
NO HASSLE HOFF ( Aintree, 1.45) and ZALVADOS (Aintree, 6.15), saddled by Ollie Greenall. Both have intriguing chances.