A quite sensational card to start the Crabbie's Grand National meeting with no less than four Grade One contests as Aintree gears up for Saturday's feature.
We begin with the Manifesto Novices' Chase and Josses Hill (1.40) looked ready for a step back up in trip when third in the Arkle at Cheltenham last month when, once again, he didn't jump particularly well. Gold Cup winning jockey Nico De Boinville takes over this afternoon, with regular pilot Barry Geraghty injured, and this imposing 7-y-old was a winner at this meeting last year over timber. Good ground, two-and-half-miles and no Arkle winner Un De Sceaux in the line-up to get him out of his comfort zone. If his jumping has improved from Cheltenham he will take all the beating.
Hargam (2.15) is a confident selection to give AP McCoy his first winner of this Grade 1 juvenile contest since he rode subsequent Champion Hurdler Binocular to victory for Nicky Henderson back in 2008. The Lambourn handler also saddles the selection who finished third in the Triumph Hurdle behind stablemates Top Notch and Peace And Co last month when the ground had gone against this son of Sinndar.
The race has thrown up one or two shocks in the past with 40/1, 10/1 and 13/2 winners in the last five years but we have had seven winning favourites in the last decade and Hargam is 11/10 with BetVictor which seems a fair price given his Festival form.
If the ground went against Hargam on the last day of the Festival the same can most certainly be said of Holywell (2.50) who must have gone very close to winning a Gold Cup if the ground had not turned soft on Gold Cup day. Under normal circumstances you would be loath to back a horse who had had a hard race in the Gold Cup at Aintree but this year there are four weeks between our spring Festivals and that might be pivotal.
Trainer Jonjo O'Neill suggested that his inmate had been a bit quiet in the week after the Festival but had shown his old sparkle of late and this is his time of the year. He was hugely impressive when winning over today's C&D last spring and at 7/4 he must be the recommendation with AP McCoy taking over in the saddle. At 7/4 with BetVictor he is another confident selection although we have not had a winning favourite in the race since Exotic Dancer for the same O'Neill/McCoy team back in 2007.
The feature race is the £200,000 Aintree Hurdle and it is hard to put a line through any of the seven that go to post. Jezki (3.25) is the class act and although he finished behind Arctic Fire at Cheltenham he refused to settle on that occasion and has won over today's 2m 4f trip in the past. At 11/4 with BetVictor he must be the recommendation with the Jessica Harrington horses running well at Fairyhouse over Easter. I hope I am not letting McCoy fever get the better of me but can you imagine the Aintree roar if AP rides an opening day Grade 1 treble?
The Foxhunters' is the first race over the National fences and is a top-class renewal. Warne easily won last year's race but this is a much better event and he is readily overlooked. Nine Carberry rides the Cheltenham Foxhunters' winner On The Fringe and trainer Enda Bolger suggested this race rather than Cheltenham had been his target all season.
He will be very hard to beat but my two against the field are Irish challenger Last Time D'Albain and Big Fella Thanks (4.05) with marginal preference for the latter now a teenager but in cracking form this season. The selection finished fourth in the National behind Don't Push It five years ago when he travelled like the winner for much of the race before his stamina gave way. At 8/1 with BetVictor he can reward each way support.
The Red Rum is one of my favourite races of the season and this is a top class renewal with many chances; Karinga Dancer will love the ground but will his jumping hold? My two against the field are Baby Mix returning from a long lay-off and Arnaud (4.40) with the latter getting the vote despite the fact that he disappointed in the corresponding race last year.
