Can God's Own repeat last year's success? Mike Egerton / PA Images
Mike Egerton / PA Images / PA Images
Three big talking points…
1. FOX IN THE box? A lot of the horses taking part in the JLT Melling Chase (3.25pm) come in with a Cheltenham run under their belts and Fox Norton (7/2) steps up in trip for the first time having lost by a head to Special Tiara in the two-mile Queen Mother Champion Chase last month.
Last year’s winner of this contest, God’s Own (3/1), will have it all to do after a disappointing fifth over the shorter distance. His 2016 success also comes with the caveat that the brilliant Vautour fell at the ninth, leaving the race wide open, but the improving conditions should suit the nine-year-old.
The Kerry Lee pair of Kylemore Lough (16/1) and Top Gamble (18/1) can’t be ignored but Sub Lieutenant (11/4) — second in the Ryanair — looks the one to beat for Henry De Bromhead.
The Gigginstown House Stud horse has finished no worse than third in his six starts in the past year.
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There was very little to separate Might Bite and Whisper last time out. DPA / PA Images
DPA / PA Images / PA Images
2. Careless Whisper: Just five runners will start the Betway Mildmay Novices’ Chase at 2.50pm on day two of Aintree, but all eyes will be on Might Bite (4/7) and Whisper (5/2) who go head-t0-head after the dramatic finish of the RSA Chase three weeks ago.
Whisper will be hoping he can reverse the form — which saw Might Bite dramatically pull up while leading by miles, only to snatch victory again in a photo finish — and claim a third top-level victory at Aintree, having won the Liverpool Hurdle in 2014 and 2015.
The form suggests this really is a two-horse race but, if you fancy an outsider for each-way, it’s 16/1 bar.
Moon Racer will have his backers on Friday. Julian Herbert / PA Images
Julian Herbert / PA Images / PA Images
3. Mount-ing a challenge: There are a lot more horses in with a shout of the Crabbie’s Top Novices’ Hurdle at 2.20pm where Mount Mews (3/1) looks to prove he belongs in Grade 1 company after five wins from six starts in his short career.
He did, however, win a Grade 2 contest last time out by an astonishing 49 lengths but he’ll face a much stiffer test on Friday with Moon Racer (10/3) fresh from Cheltenham where Tom Scudamore pulled him up in the Champion Hurdle when he realised he had no chance in the race.
Nicky Henderson has won this race on five of the last seven occasions and many will fancy River Wylde (2/1) after his third in the Supreme last month. With the yard in such good form, he has to be a consideration, even at the shorter price.
NAP of the day…
It’s fair to say this didn’t go to plan yesterday, so let’s hope we can steer you a bit better on Friday in the Sefton Novices’ Hurdle at 4.40pm. Constantine Bay (4/1) won his first three starts over hurdles and a fourth placed finish in the Albert Bartlett can easily be explained away after he was hampered badly two out.
An each-way fancy…
Marinero is a selection more in hope than expectation. David Davies
David Davies
We’ve already outlined why Might Bite and Whisper are the class horses in the Betway Mildmay Novices’ Chase at 2.50pm on Friday, but don’t sleep on Marinero (16/1) who ran quite well behind Thistlecrack at Cheltenham in November but made an awful mistake in the RSA at the same venue last month.
Accumulator…
€10 on Constantine Bay, Mount Mews and Fox Norton will return €900.
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The42′s Winning Post: Everything you need to enjoy Day Two of Aintree
Three big talking points…
1. FOX IN THE box? A lot of the horses taking part in the JLT Melling Chase (3.25pm) come in with a Cheltenham run under their belts and Fox Norton (7/2) steps up in trip for the first time having lost by a head to Special Tiara in the two-mile Queen Mother Champion Chase last month.
Last year’s winner of this contest, God’s Own (3/1), will have it all to do after a disappointing fifth over the shorter distance. His 2016 success also comes with the caveat that the brilliant Vautour fell at the ninth, leaving the race wide open, but the improving conditions should suit the nine-year-old.
The Kerry Lee pair of Kylemore Lough (16/1) and Top Gamble (18/1) can’t be ignored but Sub Lieutenant (11/4) — second in the Ryanair — looks the one to beat for Henry De Bromhead.
The Gigginstown House Stud horse has finished no worse than third in his six starts in the past year.
2. Careless Whisper: Just five runners will start the Betway Mildmay Novices’ Chase at 2.50pm on day two of Aintree, but all eyes will be on Might Bite (4/7) and Whisper (5/2) who go head-t0-head after the dramatic finish of the RSA Chase three weeks ago.
Whisper will be hoping he can reverse the form — which saw Might Bite dramatically pull up while leading by miles, only to snatch victory again in a photo finish — and claim a third top-level victory at Aintree, having won the Liverpool Hurdle in 2014 and 2015.
The form suggests this really is a two-horse race but, if you fancy an outsider for each-way, it’s 16/1 bar.
3. Mount-ing a challenge: There are a lot more horses in with a shout of the Crabbie’s Top Novices’ Hurdle at 2.20pm where Mount Mews (3/1) looks to prove he belongs in Grade 1 company after five wins from six starts in his short career.
He did, however, win a Grade 2 contest last time out by an astonishing 49 lengths but he’ll face a much stiffer test on Friday with Moon Racer (10/3) fresh from Cheltenham where Tom Scudamore pulled him up in the Champion Hurdle when he realised he had no chance in the race.
Nicky Henderson has won this race on five of the last seven occasions and many will fancy River Wylde (2/1) after his third in the Supreme last month. With the yard in such good form, he has to be a consideration, even at the shorter price.
NAP of the day…
An each-way fancy…
We’ve already outlined why Might Bite and Whisper are the class horses in the Betway Mildmay Novices’ Chase at 2.50pm on Friday, but don’t sleep on Marinero (16/1) who ran quite well behind Thistlecrack at Cheltenham in November but made an awful mistake in the RSA at the same venue last month.
Accumulator…
€10 on Constantine Bay, Mount Mews and Fox Norton will return €900.
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