Brazil set to silence the Piper at Aintree
PLENTY predicted another Irish whitewash at this year’s Cheltenham Festival but luckily the home team held their own until the last day at least.
That said, one division where the Irish appear to hold all the aces is the juveniles with dominant performances in both the Triumph Hurdle and the Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle.
Irish-trained horses filled the first five places in the former and three of the first four spots home in the latter.
Therefore, it is no surprise to see the only two Irish-trained runners in the Jewson Anniversary 4-Y-O Juvenile Hurdle (2.20pm) at the top of the market.
The Gordon Elliott-trained Pied Piper is a best-priced evens with William Hill on the back of two wins and a good third to Vauban in the Triumph Hurdle.
He was an expensive and talented recruit from the flat who will be suited by this test of speed.
If the rain stays away, he is likely to be sent off odds-on and will take plenty of beating.
However, in BRAZIL he meets a really progressive fellow Irish raider who nailed the much-touted Gaelic Warrior on the line in the Boodles Juvenile Handicap Hurdle at Cheltenham.
That may prove to be a seriously good bit of form in time and is even better when you consider he gave Willie Mullins’ runner eight pounds too.
Formerly trained on the flat like Pied Piper, this son of Galileo can build on that and looks the value call at 9/4 with William Hill.
Looking at the others and the likeable Knight Salute is better than he showed at Cheltenham, while Venetia Williams introduces a really interesting new recruit in Fautinette.
Both Petit Tonnerre and In The Air made pleasing starts for their new connections but are very much thrown into the deep end here against two talented Irish raiders who are likely to fill the first two places.
The action gets underway with the Grade One Manifesto Novices’ Chase (1.45pm) which doesn’t look the strongest of renewals on paper.
Paul Nicholls’ Pic D’Orhy looks the one to beat on the back of a Grade Two success at Kempton back in February.
He’d previously been below par behind L’Homme Presse in the Scilly Isles at Sandown, but he was much better at Kempton and should go well again here.
The concern would definitely be his jumping though and for that reason there may just be some value in taking him on at 11/4 with William Hill.
War Lord ran really well to finish fourth behind Edwardstone in the Arkle and shaped as if worth a try at this sort of trip.
We have not seen Gin On Lime since she beat My Drogo in that memorable race at Cheltenham back in November where Rachael Blackmore performed miracles to stay in the saddle as her mount slipped and slithered on landing but somehow stayed on her feet at the second last.
She has obviously had some niggling problems since but could play a part if returning in similar form.
Instead, I’m going to take a chance on Nick Kent’s ERNE RIVER at 9/2 as he looks overpriced.
He’s won all three starts over fences this season and Beakstown, the horse he thrashed at Doncaster back in January, came out and won at the Scottish Grand National meeting last weekend.
He can be positively ridden from the front and his tendency to jump left isn’t a problem around here either.
The Randox Foxhunters’ Open Hunters’ Chase (4.05pm) looks deviously difficult and I can’t say I have too much of an opinion on it.
Jett ran well for a long way from the front in last year’s Grand National and considering this contest is over significantly shorter, he looks a worthy favourite.
I wouldn’t want to back him at around the 3/1 mark, though, and if I was pushed for a selection, I’d chance Mighty Stowaway at 12/1.
He was a really good third last time at Cheltenham and he ran pretty well for a long way in this 12 months ago.
It might also be worth keeping an eye on the closing mares’ bumper (5.15pm) as this is a race trainers often target.
With so few runs under their belts, all of these have huge scope for improvement which means I won’t be having a bet.
Rachael Blackmore has been booked to ride Lady Excalibur which might be a tip in itself, but I must admit to being pretty impressed by Law Ella’s debut at Down Royal.
Despite looking green as grass, Gavin Cromwell’s mare put the race to bed in a matter of strides and you’d have to think she’ll have learnt plenty from that.
Given his recent feats at Cheltenham, the Irish handler’s horses should always be respected and he might have another nice one on his hands.
I’d expect her to go well but alongside Mighty Stowaway, they’re purely speculative selections and I’m more than happy to stick with Erne River and Brazil as my two main plays.
POINTERS
Erne River 1.45pm Aintree
Brazil 2.20pm Aintree