SATURDAY – AINTREE

1:45 G3 Handicap Hurdle

Janika (Daryl Jacob)

He’s got a lot of experience in races like this and I was delighted with his run in the Coral Cup where he stayed on really well and I think he’s asking us to step him up in distance. He takes his racing very well, has a really good attitude, and I see no reason why he can’t run very well.

Champagne Platinum (Nico De Boinville)

He ran a very good race in the Pertemps at Cheltenham and handled the ground well there so I haven’t got any worries where that’s concerned here. This is another very competitive race and he might appreciate a slightly stiffer track but he’s in good form and should go well.

2:25 G1 Mersey Novices Hurdle

Pipesmoker (Nico De Boinville)

He is yet to win a race but he is a person who I’ve always thought a great deal of and if he’s going to break his maiden tag he might as well do it in a Grade One. He desperately needed his first run back at Sandown and I think this step back up in trip is a big plus too. My Drogo has looked very good and should be hard to beat but I really think this horse is more than capable of finishing in the money. He’ll got chasing next year anyway.

3:00 G1 Maghull Novices’ Chase

Shishkin (Nico De Boinville)

I know I’m biased but it’s very hard to fault anything he has done and there’s doesn’t seem to be any chinks in his armour. Obviously he’s got to jump round which, as we all know can be an issue sometimes! But he’s come out of the Arkle in great shape and has worked and schooled excellently so let’s hope he can retain the winning thread and we can all go into the summer with lots to look forward to.

3:35 Stayers’ Hurdle

On The Blind Side (Nico De Boinville)

I skipped Cheltenham with him because I was rather hoping by coming here we would avoid Paisley Park and Thyme Hill but as it is they are both lining up in what looks a very good race. On The Blind Side has been a revelation since being switched back to timber and whatever he achieves here he’s enjoyed a very profitable season and given Alan Spence some great fun and if he can finish in the money we will be delighted.

Call Me Lord (Daryl Jacob)

He probably needs a little bit further nowadays and would arguably prefer a little more cut but he’s a happy, fresh horse who is much more versatile as he gets older and can go any way round. I’ve been happy with him and the fact he missed Cheltenham could play to our strengths.

4:15 G3 Handicap Chase

Top Notch (Luca Morgan)

As you all know he is one of the favourites at Seven Barrows and it’s great to have him around the place. To be honest I didn’t fancy his chances that much at Cheltenham but it was a very pleasant surprise to see him run as well as he did when giving weight to The Shunter, who since franked the form by running so well on Thursday. We’ve kept Luca Morgan on board because he clearly got on well with him and is obviously very good value for his 7lbs claim. He’s been an absolutely wonderful servant and owes us nothing but I do think he has a serious chance in this stepping back up in trip         

5:15 GRAND NATIONAL

Ok Corral (Derek O’Connor)

It has been well publicised that I’m yet to win the Grand National and at the start of the season I thought we had quite a few chances but sadly they have all fallen by the wayside so we have to rely on dear old Ok Corral. He was at his peak this time last year and I really did fancy him strongly for the race because he’d won nicely at Doncaster and I genuinely thought we had a good chance of winning but we all know COVID-19 put pay to that and he doesn’t quite come into this year’s race in the same form having been pulled up at Cheltenham, but he would’ve needed that so I am expecting him to be much sharper. He jumps and hopefully will stay and Derek knows him well and was always going to ride him so hopefully they can both go out and enjoy themselves and we can only keep our fingers, toes and everything else crossed that he can come home in front, but he does have 39 others to contend with which will make it difficult! 

6:20 G2 Bumper

Balco Coastal (Nico De Boinville)

Make no mistake this is a very good bumper and every horse arrives here with a very big reputation but sadly all bar one of them will have their bubble burst. This horse had good form in a Point to Points in Ireland and won nicely in a Jumpers Bumper at Kempton when we fancied him quite strongly and this race has been the plan ever since then. He is quite a speedy animal so the fast track and ground won’t be an issue and I rate him quite highly. I was looking at bringing I Am Maximus into this race but he will head to Ayr next weekend instead

Mot A Mot (James Bowen)

What happened at Chepstow was quite extraordinary and James Bowen should be awarded ride of the century never mind ride of the year because what he did in managing to navigate him uphill and down dale and round every twist and turn with just one rein was excellent, and for the horse to do what he did was also remarkable so the main aim today is to get round with both reins attached to the bit rings! Joking aside, he showed a very good turn of foot to quicken clear and pulled away from the second horse and I think he’s improved since then as well. As I said this is an extremely competitive race and if he can finish in the first five you couldn’t be unhappy with that.