After a shaky start with Grewy Dawning, day one finished strongly with Gerri Colombe and Sans Bruit winning alongside a big-priced place from La Marquise, setting us up for day two at the Aintree Grand National meeting.
Good to get an 8/1 and 7/4 winner for @BestOfBetsUK on the first day of the Grand National meeting 😃
Good EW money from La Marquise at 33/1 and money back on Annamix.
Let’s hope for similar form tomorrow. #GrandNational | #HorseRacing https://t.co/JSNMl4qzbF
— Ash Symonds Journalism (@ASymondsJourno) April 11, 2024
With rain hitting the track before the end of play on Thursday, the ground should be on the soft side and it’ll be interesting to see how much the surface has cut up.
So, let’s dive in.
1:45 Aintree – Giovinco @ 9/1 with William Hill – 1pt EW
The Grade 1 Mildmay Novices’ Chase is one of the most competitive Grade 1s of the whole week as you can make positive and negative points about most of the runners.
However, the one who I can’t get away from is Giovinco at 9/1 for Lucinda Russell and Stephen Mulqueen.
His effort in the Grade 1 Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase was superb, and I would rate the form of finishing behind Fact To File and Monty’s Star among the best pieces of form in this race.
If you can ignore the pulled-up effort in the Grade 1 Kauto Star Novices’ Chase – which was on good ground and 18 days after a big run at Sandown – his season looks very solid on paper.
Easy for Giovinco!
He isn't foot perfect at his fences but has plenty of ability and wins at a canter for @MulqueenStephen and @lucindavrussell at @NewcastleRaces… pic.twitter.com/0RvYLx4YJE
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) February 15, 2024
He’s also got course and distance form and connections gave him a 51-day break between Boxing Day and his facile success at Newcastle on heavy ground in a match race over an inadequate trip.
Inothewayurthinkin could see plenty of money for him at the off and therefore show his superiority, but Giovinco is a solid each-way angle.
2:20 Aintree – Kateira @ 11/2 with William Hill & Jango Baie @ 10/1 with William Hill (6 places) – 1pt EW for both
Regular watchers of the Only Fools Love Horses YouTube channel might have seen that Masaccio was a big fancy of mine for this race at the entry stage.
However, Alan King didn’t declare him for this, so both Kateria and Jango Baie are his replacements.
The market has found Kateria, who was highlighted as a good handicap chance by Dan Skelton earlier this week, and she will come on for her staying-on fourth at Kempton last time out.
Having finished second in the Grade 1 Mersey Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree last season, a race that has worked out well thanks to Irish Point, Hermes Allen, Crambo, and Letsbeclearaboutit, a mark of 136 looks lenient.
👏 If the 2023 Randox Grand National Festival is his swansong, lovely to see @_Davy_Russel_ record another G1 success & that famous celebration @AintreeRaces pic.twitter.com/74mtekhTwb
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) April 14, 2023
As for Jango Baie, he is a proven Grade 1 horse in this field but doesn’t have to carry top weight.
Reading into his form, the second from the Grade 1 Formby Novices’ Hurdle, Favour And Fortune, ran well to finish sixth in the Supreme and even Making Headway, a 15-length fourth, won a nice maiden hurdle at Newbury before finishing fourth in the Imperial Cup.
A big boost for @sevenbarrows! 💪
Jango Baie races away to win the William Hill Formby Novices' Hurdle!#ITVRacing | @AintreeRaces | @james_bowen pic.twitter.com/PisvBYus1p
— ITV Racing (@itvracing) December 26, 2023
On debut, he looked like a proper animal to beat Tellherthename at Ascot over two miles and running into both Personal Ambition and Handstands while giving weight away is no mean feat.
4:05 Aintree – Frero Banbou @ 14/1 with William Hill – 1pt EW
This weekend’s Topham Handicap Chase sees Frero Banbou running off his lowest mark for three years, and he is a horse who has run well over the Grand National fences before.
The nine-year-old last tasted success in January 2021 which, admittedly, is a long time ago, but that was off a mark of 134 and he looked stylish that day on heavy ground, so conditions shouldn’t cause any issues.
Fast-forward to November 2023 and he finished a good third in the Grand Sefton Handicap Chase off 133 and Nassalam was behind him in fourth who has since won a Welsh Grand National while simultaneously improving 19lbs.
Gesskille holds them all at bay to win the Boylesports Grand Sefton Handicap Chase
The @Timeform star of the day shone the brightest#ITVRacing | @AintreeRaces pic.twitter.com/FINzL3FeJd
— ITV Racing (@itvracing) November 11, 2023
Furthermore, Fantastic Lady, a horse who has been backed over the last few hours for the Topham, was back in fifth.
He then ran off a mark of 140 (when four pounds out of the handicap) at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day in a race that Shakem Up’Arry won; Ben Pauling’s 10-year-old has won the Plate since which means Frero Banbou gets an 18lb swing with Shakem Up’Arry who is the 13/2 second-favourite.
The Venetia William stable form would be a cause for concern, but she had a winner yesterday and the ground won’t cause any issues.
5:15 Aintree – Maidenstreetprince @ 5/1 with Bet365 – 1pt Win
Charles Byrnes doesn’t waste too many darts when he comes over to the UK, so with the form Maidenstreetprince has in the book, he is worth a long second look.
The seven-year-old had plenty of time off the track between his third to Gaelic Warrior at Clonmel in January 2023 and his return at Galway in October 2023, but he showed great promise at Cork on his last start.
He travelled very well through the race and looked to challenge Sir Gerhard, a 155-rated former Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle winner, before falling at the second last.
Back in trip. Back in business 👀
Three-time Grade One scorer Sir Gerhard cuts loose in the @BarOneRacing Hurdle @corkracecourse 🔴⚪️🔵@CPStudOfficial | @WillieMullinsNH pic.twitter.com/xtNnRVofKU
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) March 31, 2024
Furthermore, the form of his Limerick maiden hurdle in December 2022 is superb as Sa Fureur, rated 143 over fences, finished fourth in the Grand Annual, Aime Desjy will contest tomorrow’s Topham Handicap Chase off 141 after a facile beginners chase success in March, and Shanbally Kid finished a good third in the Coral Cup which received a form boost yesterday thanks to Langer Dan’s third in the Grade 1 Aintree Hurdle.
So, off a mark of 128 with Phillip Byrnes’ three-pound claim, he looks well-handicapped for a big run. The worry would be the 12-day turnaround, but one would suggest connections wouldn’t come here unless he was sound at home.
