Top commentator Simon Holt offers his best bets for day two of the Grand National meeting at Aintree with Spiritofthegames fancied in the opener.
Recommended Bets: Aintree Day Two
1pt e.w Spiritofthegames in 1.45 Aintree at 9/1
1pt win Ultragold in 4.05 Aintree at 20/1
1pt e.w Sam's Gunner in 4.40 Aintree at 20/1
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Altior is an unfortunate absentee in Friday's Grade 1 JLT Melling Chase at Aintree and last month's Ryanair Chase winner Balko Des Flos and Queen Mother Champion Chase runner-up Min now dominate the betting.
It is difficult to choose between them, though the former has the more proven stamina.
Slightly unconsidered at Cheltenham when all the attention was focused on Un De Sceaux and Cue Card, Balko Des Flos travelled strongly all the way and ran out a decisive winner from Un De Sceaux with the re-opposing Cloudy Dream beaten over 12 lengths into third.
Winner of the Galway Plate during last summer, Balko Des Flos has continued to progress and defied odds of 66-1 when splitting Road To Respect and Outlander in the Leopardstown Christmas Chase in December prior to being given a break before Cheltenham.
Meanwhile, Min ran a game race in the Champion Chase before finding Altior way too strong up the hill.
This smart seven-year-old has only once been tried at this distance when justifying 1-9 favouritism at Gowran Park back in November but should stay well enough on this flat circuit.
Politologue, fourth in the Champion Chase, has a bit to find and connections were preferring two miles for him earlier in the season while his stable-mate Le Prezien also looked ideally suited by a strong-run race at the minimum distance when taking last month's Grand Annual Chase in impressive fashion thus earning this rise in class.
In the Randox Health Topham Handicap Chase, last year's winner ULTRAGOLD could go very close once again.
Colin Tizzard's chaser seems to come alive over the Grand National fences and confirmed the point when chasing home Gas Line Boy, again over the course and distance, in the Grand Sefton Chase in early December.
While well beaten in two starts at Cheltenham since, Ultragold is nowhere near as effective these days on 'park' courses and will undoubtedly have been primed for this repeat bid.
Theatre Territory, a very consistent mare this season who possibly didn't quite get home over three miles at Kempton last time behind Master Dee, looks one of the main dangers under Sam Waley Cohen who boasts an excellent record on this course.
Meanwhile, Highland Lodge is another for whom Aintree lights a candle but Jimmy Moffatt's veteran, who has won and been placed in three Becher Chases (3m2f), might find this shorter trip on the sharp side.
Later on, SAM'S GUNNER could really appreciate a step up to three miles in the Doom Bar Sefton Novices' Hurdle.
Mick Easterby's gutsy five-year-old has improved with racing and produced a powerful staying performance in testing conditions to take the EBF Novices' Handicap Hurdle Final at Sandown last month.
There may be higher-rated horses in this field, in particular the Nicky Henderson pair Ok Corral and Santini who finished second and third in the Albert Bartlett at Cheltenham, but William Kennedy's mount is going from strength to strength and can reward each-way interest.
Earlier, I am keen to stick with SPIRITOFTHEGAMES, who has run two solid races over two miles in big handicaps at Newbury and Cheltenham, but now returns to the longer trip which may suit him best in the Alder Hey Children’s Charity Handicap Hurdle.
Dan Skelton’s consistent hurdler, aboard whom Bridget Andrews takes off 3lb, was a good second to William Henry in the Lanzarote over two miles and five furlongs in January and looks sure to be in the shake-up again here.