Why is it that everyone wants to back the winner of this race? Why is it that everyone wants a tip for this race? I have never been so popular with text messages and facebook messages for tips in the National.
A 10/1 at Chepstow this afternoon pays the same as a 10/1 at Aintree in The Grand National!(more…)
This is the feature race of the meeting for me and it is all about one horse, one trainer and one owner with his band of merry men!
In a time when many people make Cheltenham the be all and end all, John Queally and Michael Ryan have made this race their own over three of the last four years. On top of the Anniversary Hurdle they won as a 4yo Al Eile really is an Aintree Legend and it is a shame his achievements are never covered properly as all the column inches are targetted towards the National.
The Aintree equivalent of the Arkle Chase and this has a strong look to it with the Arkle Favourite, Tatenen lining up against the eventual runner up Kalahari King.
In opposition are a couple of horses who have avoided Cheltenham to line up today as fresh horses and they have to be of interest to some at the prices available.
The Cheltenham equivalent of the Ballymore Novices Hurdle at Cheltenham and without Mikhael D’Harguenet and Karabak does have a weaker look to it. However, it is interesting none the less with horses stepping up in trip or dropping down from 3m.
I think the race will fall to a horse stepping up in trip but not from one of the Novices but one of the Juveniles.
In the last few years this race has really improved and in the past three years the race has been won by Detroit City, Katchit and Binocular. Not a bad hall of fame – two Triumph Hurdle winners and a second in the Supreme.
This race contains the best Juveniles from England, with the exception of Zaynar who won the Triumph a few weeks ago. The best of the Irish challenge has been left at home, the temptation of a bigger pot at Punchestown in May is too great to tempt them over.
With the inclusion, of World Hurdle winner, Big Bucks the race has the look of a top class renewal until you look beyond the likely favourite.
However, without any of the horses who filled the second, third or fourth places at The Festival it is not quite as strong as is first thought. Last years winner Blazing Bailey, does not line up but Mighty Man does return to Aintree and to a race he has won twice before.
Unraced over hurdles since this race last year, rumoured to be out for the season after sustaining a ligament injury in the Autumn and Al Eile is back for the race he loves.
John Queally has done an absolutely superb job looking after his stable star and he goes in search of a fourth Aintree Hurdle and fifth win at the meeting. That is some record and I never think the Dungarvan based trainer really gets the plaudits he deserves for his handling of the Michael Ryan trained gelding.
With 74 horses left in the Grand National after the 5 day entries, the final field is beginning to take shape.
If you are interested in a horse below 50 you have now got to hope they get balloted out so all stakes are returned andd not settled as a Non Runner. The market on WBX.COM is now also beginning to take shape.
As Cheltenham becomes more and more diluted with the introduction of a new race a season and the promise of two more in the next couple of years, I really do think Aintree is becoming the premier race meeting of the National Hunt season.
It does not have the Irish contingent which flock to Cheltenham and Cheltenham does appeal more to owners but for the National Hunt fan Aintree is better.
As I outlined before The Triumph Hurdle, the owner (Max McNeill) of Walkon is a very good friend of mine.
I have just spoken to Max and he has confirmed what we thought and that is that Walkon will run a week today (Thurs) in the Anniversary Hurdle.
I am not sure of the opposition yet but would expect to see Starluck in the race. Connections had previously spoken about targetting Aintree with Hebridean but unless they think the horse has improved a lot I would expect to see him in the Novice hurdle that the yard won so impressively with Pierrot Lunaire last season.
