No need for form Study to see chance of Snow at Aintree
AINTREE’s big three days of the year are here with the highlight of course being Saturday’s Grand National.
Before that there is plenty of other top-class action to get stuck into, beginning with today’s card which includes four Grade One races.
Many of the contests feature horses that ran at the Cheltenham Festival and several look hard to beat, including Nicky Henderson’s duo Lulamba in the William Hill Manifesto Novices’ Chase (2.20pm) and Jango Baie, second in the Gold Cup when last seen, in the Racing Welfare Bowl Chase (3.30pm).
However, with the pair both short in the market for their respective races, there are certainly better betting opportunities elsewhere.
BARTON SNOW, who arrives here after a win in the hunters’ chase at Cheltenham, is one horse that looks like a very solid proposition in the Randox Foxhunters Open Hunters’ Chase (3.30pm).
He was ridden to get the three-mile-two-furlong trip last month and travelled all over his opposition, getting the better of Its On The Line despite ploughing through the final fence.
Having won a hunters’ chase over two miles in the past, dropping back in trip to two-miles-five-furlongs should be no issue for this strong-travelling type.
I think he could take a good deal of beating here, and a price of 7/4 looks worth taking.
The danger is definitely the Dan Skelton-trained Unexpected Party, who has taken well to hunter chasing this season, but I think he may have to settle for second best here behind Barton Snow.
The card opens with the Grade One Boodles Anniversary 4-Y-O Juvenile Hurdle (1.45pm), where three horses that filled the first four placings in the Triumph Hurdle go head-to-head again.
There wasn’t much between Maesto Conti, MINELLA STUDY and Selma De Vary that day but the one I am drawn to here is the second mentioned.
Minella Study was last off the bridle at Cheltenham and perhaps didn’t find as much as expected when under pressure, but I think this flatter track should suit Adam Nicol’s four-year-old and horses that travel well often come to the fore at Aintree.
Slightly better ground should suit him too and I can’t see why he is a bigger price than Selma De Vary, having looked to have beaten that rival fair and square last time.
Hailing from a small northern yard, I can see him drifting further from his current price of 7/2, with Willie Mullins’ Selma De Vary and the Dan Skelton-trained Maestro Conti likely to prove more of a draw with punters, and that means he could provide even better value come race time.
I was thinking of lining up the progressive Highlands Legacy for a bet in the Close Brothers Red Rum Handicap Chase (4.40pm) but the value in his price now looks to have evaporated.
SANS BRUIT is going for a hat-trick of wins in this race and has been laid out for it by the Paul Nicholls team.
Despite running away with this contest when winning by over four lengths 12 months ago, he lines up here just three pounds above that winning mark.
On both his wins in this race, he has been given a very positive front-running ride to jump his rivals into submission, and I can see a similar scenario unfolding this time under Harry Cobden.
While he isn’t a huge price at 3/1, he appeals as by far the most likely winner and can land the hat-trick for the Nicholls team.
POINTERS THURSDAY
Minella Study 1.45pm Aintree
Barton Snow 3.30pm Aintree
Sans Bruit 4.40pm Aintree