Aintree Grand National Meeting – Day Two

The great part about the Grand National meeting nowadays is how good the action has become on the preceding two days of the meeting. We are now blessed to find some top notch Grade 1 racing throughout the week, and some tasty handicaps as well. Day Two on Friday is no different, with plenty of different angles to think through and try to find the winner of. I have sided with a couple which I fancy to outrun their odds. 

With that in mind, I am going to be patient enough to wait until the Topham Chase, which is being run over the Grand National fences at 4.05 for my first two bets on the card. I am hoping patience can be a virtue in this instance and I will be siding first off with the red hot Christian Williams team, and they have a likely chance with Five Star Getaway in this race. Having won three on the bounce in taking fashion at the backend of last season, he has shown some further improved form this campaign, with a win around Kempton at Christmas time being the main piece of uplifting form. That has been well franked, and he hasn’t had a hard time of things since then, and is lurking off a nice mark of 135. He has only just crept into the race as a result, and is off just 10 stone – so there is a lot to like about his chances. At a price of 14/1 with Paddy Power, who are offering 6 places, he looks a good each way bet. 

However, I am also quite keen on an Irish challenger in this race and I have a feeling that this has been the long term aim for Snugsborough Hall, who has been over hurdles for his last few starts to protect his handicap mark. He was fourth in this race last year, when jumping well and not being quite able to deal with the likes of LiveLoveLaugh out in front. That was a highly credible effort though, and although getting on in years, he comes here a fresh horse and one that will have been primed to the minute for this race. He is down a pound this year, and has young Eoin Walsh taking another 3 pounds off him, which he may need to have a chance of winning this race. He is a big price to take a chance at though, and with 20/1 on Paddy Power, I will be backing him each way.

The next race is the 4.40 on your card and the 3m Sefton Novices Hurdle. This is a Grade 1 race by name but slightly like the Manifesto earlier today, it hasn’t quite delivered a Grade 1 looking field. Banbridge was a winner of a Festival handicap last time out, while the likes of Skytastic and Crystal Glory will be having their first crack at a big event such as this. I like Gelino Bello in this race and think he has got a great chance for Harry Cobden and Paul Nicholls. He suits this type of race, as he has course form, he is experienced and also a very fluent jumper. There has been a lot of money around for him this week, and I can see exactly why – given his likely profile and I would be hopeful of a very big run. At a price of around 11/2 with Paddy Power, who are paying out 4 places, he should run a huge race. 

The final selection of the day comes in the finale on the card, which is at 5.15 and this is the 2m conditional jockeys handicap hurdle. Stuart Edmunds won this race last year, but it will be forever etched in my mind for the fall of Copperless, who was absolutely cantering at 2 out and looked like he would take some stopping. Olly Murphy trains Copperless, and I like his main threat in the race this year, the unexposed and still progressive Washington. This horse was very well regarded earlier on in the campaign and has slightly disappointed to not have won a few more races than he has. However, having been pitched in against some very good opposition, he took a step down in class in stride to win at Southwell last time out, which was a cheeky ride from Fergus Gregory to not win by too far. He is now into this handicap off a mark of 127, which I don’t believe is the ceiling of his ability and Gregory is called on again to do the steering. There are a lot of boxes being ticked, and at a price of 6/1 with Paddy Power, who are offering 5 places – he should be backed each way.