By Charlie McCann
The Topham has never been the luckiest of races for me but I am sweet on the chances of You Must Know Me (3.40) with Andrew Lynch in the plate. The selection finished third over C&D back in December at a time when the yard of Henry De Bromhead were going through an indifferent period.
BetVictor are betting the race to five places for each way customers and Standing Ovation is sure to be popular. David Pipe’s 7-y-o creeps in at the foot of the weights and is well handicapped based on his early season form, racking up a hat-trick at Wincanton in the autumn. Tom George’s Big Fella Thanks may be close to drawing his pension but is another respected, at his lowest mark since January 2009.
Jossies Hill (2.00) is the 2/1 favourite for the opening two miles novices hurdle, won my Nicky Henderson in recent years by My Tent or Yours and Darlan and like previous scorers arrives at Aintree on the back of finishing second in the Supreme Novices Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.
Barry Geraghty rides and on paper looks to have outstanding claims with the flatter track likelier to suite the 6-y-o – who looks all speed. Sgt Reckless reopposes once more after finish 4th in the Supreme but Baltimore Rock looks to be the danger, stepping up in class for the first time since winning the Imperial Cup at Sandown last month.
The three mile novices’ chase looks a fascinating renewal with Paul Nicholls double-handed with Just a Par and Wonderful Charm, the latter seemingly considered the ‘first string’ with Sam Twiston-Davies booked in the plate.
RSA winner O’Faolains Boy (2.30) is the 7/4 favourite with Rebecca Curtis‘s charge taken to once again stamp his superiority over the pair of Many Clouds and Don Cossack and looks an exciting prospect for the future.
The 7-y-o is a 16/1 chance with BetVictor for next year’s Cheltenham Gold Cup and likely to contract further, providing he gives another good account. Jonjo O’Neill’s Holywell is another with Gold Cup quotes and steps up in class after winning the festival handicap at Cheltenham and second to Solwhit in the Liverpool Hurdle at the meeting last year.
Sprinter Sacre put in arguably his strongest performance to date when beating the pair of Cue Card and Flemenstar in the Melling Chase at the meeting last year and with none of the trio reappearing, the race looks wide open.
At the time of writing Tom George’s Module and Nicky Henderson’s Radjhani Express dispute favouritism on the back of placed efforts at the Cheltenham festival, third in the BetVictor Queen Mother Champion Chase and the Ryanair Chase respectively.
Both look short given their inconsistent profiles however and it could be worth taking a chance on old boy Wishfull Thinking (3.05) for Phillip Hobbs and Richard Johnson. The previous course and distance winner was 5th in the Champion Chase but seems to be most effective over two and a half miles, winning over the trip at Cheltenham in January and 2nd in the race two years ago behind Finians Rainbow.
Nicky Henderson’s Tistory is respected in the Sefton Novices’ Hurdle however Barry Geraghty opts to ride Beat That, a facile winner on his seasonal debut at Ascot before finishing second to Charlie Longsdon’s Kilala Quay at Sandown, who reopposes once more.
I think it could be a winner for the north with the incredibly progressive Seeyoutatmidnight (4.15) striking as the most likely winner for Sandy Thomson and Ryan Mania. The 6-y-o has improved with every run, winning at Hexham, Musselburgh and Haydock can complete the four-timer by adding Aintree to the list, en route to going fences next season, the 6-y-o is a confident selection.
The two and a half miles handicap hurdle looks a fiendish affair with BetVictor 8/1 the field and despite disappointing last time out, it could be worth giving Cheltenian (4.50) another chance.
Phillip Hobbs’ 8-y-o was punted like a ‘handicap good thing’ into the 5/1 favourite but was pulled-up after tiring in the closing stages; If he’s none the worse for that, he should go close stepped up in trip.
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