Many Clouds, well-backed for the Cheltenham Gold Cup a fortnight ago, has been confirmed as a likely runner for next week’s £1million Crabbies Grand National by his trainer Oliver Sherwood and BetVictor make the 8-y-o a 25/1 chance for Aintree success. Leighton Aspell will partner the gelding, which means that last year’s winner Pineau De Re will have a new man in the plate and Daryl Jacob already booked to ride Dr Richard Newland’s 2014 winner in the world’s greatest steeplechase.
The 12-y-o has been brought along steadily by his trainer and 20/1 to be the first horse since Red Rum to complete back-to-back successes in Liverpool. BetVictor are betting the race to FIVE PLACES with last year’s Irish National winner Shutthefrontdoor heading the market as the 7/1 favourite bidding to give soon-to-be retired AP McCoy a landmark second success in the race.
McCoy is Chepstow bound this afternoon for four rides and Rock N Rhythm (4.40) his best chance of winner in the 2m Maiden Hurdle for Jonjo O’Neill. The selection was progressive in bumpers earlier in the season, chasing home the Willie Mullins pair of Livelovelaugh and Stone Hard in bumpers at Punchestown and Fairyhouse respectively. The 5-y-o made a pleasing debut for his new stable when finishing a respectable third last month at Carlisle and can shed the maiden tag over timber at the second time of asking.
McCoy rides Ashes House in the Novices’ Handicap Chase from a career-low mark of 119 and looks to have a good chance for the red-hot Rebecca Curtis yard however preference is with The Chuckmeister (3.35) for Champion Trainer Paul Nicholls. The selection has been progressive over hurdles and makes his debut over fences from en eye-catching mark of 112. The gelding was always going to excel over the larger obstacles and can make a winning debut over fences under Sam Twiston-Davies.
The pair combine with The Eaglehaslanded in the opener, an expensive purchase from the pointing fields, however Kingfisher Creek (2.30) sets a fair standard and gets the nod for Colin Tizzard and 7lb Conditional Paul O’Brien. The selection has to give 12lb to the Ditcheat-inmate however the form has in the book and can return to winning ways on his preferred soft ground.
As well as Chepstow, there’s also excellent NH racing at Warwick and Kempton with Fond Memory (4.20) chanced for the feature handicap chase. Nigel Twiston-Davies’ yard are slowly coming back to form and the selection’s defeat of Owen Na View at the track earlier this season has worked out particularly well. The selection is just 4lb higher than that six-length success however is now aided by Jamie Bargary’s 7lb claim and can maintain his 100% record at the track in style.
Raya Hope is a fascinating runner in the concluding bumper; a Robin Des Champs half-sister to Alan King‘s excellent hurdler Raya Star and should be competitive under Wayne Hutchinson. The filly receives lumps of weight however Robins Reef (5.25) can give weight and a beating to her 11 rivals under Andrew Tinkler. Nicky Henderson’s mare was an impressive scorer under Tinkler last month at Market Rasen before running with credit three weeks later in a Listed Bumper at Sandown. She remains open to improvement and can add to Seven Barrows’ excellent 33% strike-rate at the track in 2015.
Richard Johnson and Tom Scudamore are both Warwick-bound this aft however all eyes will be on man of the moment Nico De Boinville who rides Smart Story (2.55) making his debut over fences for trainer Ben Pauling. The selection has shown little in three starts over timber but looks potentially well-treated for a yard that thrive with debutants over the larger obstacles and could be chucked-in from an opening mark of 95.
The feature handicap chase sees nine horses go to post and Horizontal Speed (3.25) taken to cap-off an excellent debut season over fences for Philip Hobbs and Richard Johnson. The selection was well-backed last time out before finishing an excellent fourth in the Novices’ Handicap Chase at the festival and should remain competitive from just a 4llb higher mark.
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