TWO NAPS WIN IN NATIONAL WEEK: Daqman scooped 31 points profit for the Aintree wallet with a double yesterday at Market Rasen and Wolverhampton. This follows 14.50 on Monday, also from two winners, 5-2 Ciara Pearl and 3-1 nap Royal Mer, so that’s two naps out of three this week.
WON 4-1 MR HOPE STREET
WON 6-5 NO HALF MEASURES (nap)
DAQMAN 97.50 CLEAR OF PRICEWISE: Aintree opens today with Daqman challenging Pricewise for value winners in the 2.20, 4.05 and 4.40. Current scores: Daqman 7, Pricewise 3. Profit and loss: Daqman +47.50, Pricewise -50.00
WHAT WINS BATTLE OF GREYS
⭕ 1.45 Aintree (Manifesto Novices Chase) The big three in the trainers’ title chase will clash in the very first race of the Grand National meeting.
The race is named after Manifesto, twice a National winner (1897 and 1899), third three times and fourth once – all with record weights – in a career not surpassed until Red Rum’s third strike in 1977.
The best Manifesto winner in recent seasons must be Protektorat three years ago, brought back to win the Ryanair last month by Dan Skelton.
Skelton saddles Grey Dawning on the up. An unlucky second-last mistake at Cheltenham in December gifted Paul Nicholls’ Ginny’s Destiny his hat-trick.
But Grey Dawning grabbed revenge in the Turners at the festival, two lengths up on Destiny at the line, despite dawdling.
This is a much sharper 20 furlongs and, with officially only 3lb between them, it could be a match to light up the opening day.
Except that on level peggings with Ginny’s Destiny in the ratings is another grey, Il Etait Temps (Willie Mullins), third in the Arkle, running on well despite several blunders, as if a crack at 20 furlongs would suit in trip with the lesser pace to help his jumping.
He is the youngster of the big three but the one most likely to try to need to avoid the heavy patches of ground.
KARGESE THREAT TO SIR GINO
⭕ 2.20 Aintree (Boodles Juvenile Hurdle) Nicky Henderson, who has won this twice in recent years, is trailing in fourth place in the trainers’ table after a bug in the stable, first spotted on the gallops in his champion-hurdler Constitution Hill. It ruined his Cheltenham.
Sir Gino is one of those he pulled out from Prestbury Park, unwilling to risk his impressive Triumph Trial winner.
Paul Nicholls regards dual Kempton scorer, Kalif Du Berlais, as ‘one of the nicest we’ve had in a long time to go chasing.’
Kargese (Willie Mullins) was second in the Triumph Hurdle (Nurburgring fourth), having seen off Intellotto at Leopardstown.
COLOMBE THE FIRST-DAY NAP
⭕ 2.55 Aintree Bowl Only horses from the top bracket win this, whether trained Nicky Henderson (Shishkin), or Paul Nicholls (Silviniaco Conti).
It’s Nicholls chance to bag £140k but Bravemansgame last ran here in this very race two seasons back, when he trailed in 30-lengths last!
He has to face Shishkin, who can outdo that: he refused to start at Ascot and unseated Nico De Boinville in the King George (Bravemansgame was second).
Winning a Grade 2 – the Denman – since then has hardly redeemed Shishkin in top-grade rankings, though officially he’s held on to 173, which is 6lb ahead of Bravemansgame, who has slipped from 172, failing to win another race since his 2022 King George.
Gerri Colombe has reached 170 for two defeats! The winner of last year’s Mildmay – the novice version of this Bowl – he has twice finished second to Galopin Des Champs, his margins of defeat diminishing by around 20 lengths between the Savills Chase and the Cheltenham Gold Cup.
LUCCIA LOOKS VALUE AT 11.0
⭕ 3.30 Aintree Hurdle Luccia was allowed to take her chance at Cheltenham by Nicky Henderson and was a fine third in the Champion Hurdle behind State Man, both benefiting from Constitution Hill’s absence.
Luccia is still only six and she finished that race as if today’s extra distance was needed.
She gets the mare’s allowance against Impaire Et Passe, who has twice seen the back of State Man, much further behind at Leopardstown than was Luccia at Cheltenham.
Henderson also saddles Marie’s Rock in this bid for a hat-trick in the race and a fifth winner out of seven.
Marie’s Rock was seven-lengths runner-up to Bob Olinger in the Relkeel in January. Langer Dan, winner of the Coral Cup at Cheltenham, scored over this CD at the meeting in 2022. I’ll give Luccia a spin at BETDAQ 11.0.
FOXHUNTERS IS ON THE LINE
⭕ 4.05 Aintree (Foxhunters) Emmet Mullins has set his stall out for this, with Its On The Line (for J P McManus) and Romeo Magico, both heavily backed.
Former champion amateur Derek O’Connor (Its On The Line) has 10 winners in Ireland (10-59) and is 50% (2-4) on what he’s ridden in UK this season.
Another past champion, Patrick Mullins (Annamix), is on 46% in Ireland from far more rides (56-121) but Its On The Line holds him on previous clashes and is still only seven. Betdaq Betting Exchange 5.6.
VOTING FOR THE PARTY AGAIN
⭕ 4.40 Aintree (Red Rum Handicap) Dancing On My Own goes for a repeat off 12st, some 12lb higher than last year; he also ran second in 2022 and is 10 now.
But the 40.0 BETDAQ offers this morning suggest that Henry De Bromhead and Rachael Blackmore will not be winning again today. Whiskeywealth has hit his best form the last twice, hurdles and a Gowran chase, putting him on his highest ever mark over fences.
Saint Roi was runner-up in the Manifesto a year ago but has now gone nine losing races, shedding just 3lb from his rating, and finished 17 lengths in rear of Dan Skelton’s Unexpected Party in the Grand Annual at Cheltenham; winner raised 8lb.
Path Doroux was third in that race, giving the successful Party weight and is now 6lb better off for close on six lengths.
The Skeltons have a second chance with Heltenham, another hat-trick seeker, but who has never raced at this trip over fences.
He’s won five chases at around 2m 4f but was beaten favourite in among them, when 47-lengths third of nine on this Mildmay course in early December.
Sans Bruit (BETDAQ 6.5), six times a winner in France, has been acclimatising for this. An ideal pace ride for Bryony Frost.
DAQMAN’S BETS
2.20 Aintree (win 10)
BET 5pts win KARGESE
2.55 Aintree (win 20, nap)
BET 10pts win GERRI COLOMBE
3.30 Aintree (win 20)
BET 2pts win and place LUCCIA
4.05 Aintree (win 20)
BET 4.25pts win ITS ON THE LINE
4.40 Aintree (win 20)
BET 4.25pts win SANS BRUIT
BET 3pts win UNEXPECTED PARTY
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