Cheltenham atonement at Aintree
AFTER PLAYING second and third fiddle respectively to the brilliant Honeysuckle at Cheltenham last month, Epatante and Zanahiyr look set to battle it out for top honours in the Betway Aintree Hurdle.
Ultimately neither could lay a glove on Henry de Bromhead’s superstar mare in the Champion Hurdle just over three weeks ago, but they justifiably dispute favouritism for today’s joint feature.
Having won and finished third and second in the last three renewals of Cheltenham’s two-mile hurdling championship, Epatante tests the water over twoand-a-half miles for the first time on Merseyside.
Like everyone else, trainer Nicky Henderson is somewhat in the dark over the trip for his dual Fighting Fifth and Christmas Hurdle heroine, but is hopeful.
He said: “She’s had a tremendous year, but the one question here is the trip. It’s her first run over it and we’re going to have to take that on trust.
“She’s done nothing wrong, she halved the Fighting Fifth (deadheated with Not So Sleepy) and then won the Christmas Hurdle where she was very impressive.
“She ran a great race in the Champion Hurdle, the mistake at the last didn’t cost her in the end as she finished second and wouldn’t have won. She’s in good form and I’m thinking and hoping – if she stays, she wants to go to sleep and wait and wait.
“I asked Nico (de Boinville) after the Christmas Hurdle if she’d stay two and a half as I was half thinking of the Mares’ Hurdle for her, but he said ‘no’.
“On the other hand two and a half at Aintree is different to two and a half around Cheltenham, as it doesn’t put an enormous premium on stamina.’’
Gordon Elliott believes the extra distance could help Zanahiyr, who would not be winning out of turn after four successive placed efforts in Grade One company.
“The step up in trip will definitely suit us. Obviously, you never know with these horses coming back from Cheltenham so quickly, but he seems in good form and he’s well,” said Elliott.
“I thought it was a career-best last time and he is improving.”
■ Aidan Coleman is counting down the hours to Snow Leopardess in the Randox Grand National at Aintree on Saturday.
The mare has earned herself a considerable fan base already and after attracting ante-post support all week was promoted to bigrace favouritism on Wednesday.
Three times a winner this season, she has an attractive weight of 10st 9lb - and the all-important experience of the famous fences, having won the Becher Chase.
Adding to the plot is her unusual history, with the Charlie Longsdon-trained grey in the unique position of taking on the world’s greatest steeplechase having returned from a lengthy injury-enforced absence, during which she produced a foal.
Coleman said: “She’s had an absolutely super season, she won at Bangor and then she went to the Becher.
“I was suspended the last day when she ran so I missed her at Exeter, but I’m really looking forward to getting back on her.
“There’s been a lot of money for her all week, which was always going to happen.
“There’s a great backstory to her and that’s been well documented. She’s a great mare to be associated with and let’s hope it’s 14th time lucky for me in the race!
“She’s always been a particularly good jumper, I suppose the one thing is that the softer the ground the better for her, just to slow them down a touch.
“You have to take what you get and she does go on better ground, it’s not a massive inconvenience to her - it would just play to her strengths if we did get some rain.”
■ Protektorat finished the best of the British when third in the Cheltenham Gold Cup and trainer Dan Skelton feels he sets a standard that others must surpass in the Betway Bowl.
The rising chasing star, who is part-owned by Sir Alex Ferguson, romped home 25 lengths clear of Native River in the Many Clouds Chase when stepped up in trip on his previous visit to Liverpool this season in December. The seven-year-old underlined his class when chasing home Henry de Bromhead’s pair of A Plus Tard and Minella Indo three weeks ago in a muddling Gold Cup, which turned into something of a sprint.
Skelton feels he is capable of taking a second Grade One of his career: “It was a great run in the Gold Cup. We are very proud of him. There are only four Grade Ones over three miles in the UK, so you have to to try and go if you can.”