After taking last week's Ladbrokes Trophy with Sizing Tennessee, jockey Tom Scudamore and trainer Colin Tizzard could strike again with SHANAHAN'S TURN, who will carry the same colours of the late Ann and Alan Potts, in the Betway Grand Sefton Handicap Chase at Aintree on Saturday.
Previous experience over the Grand National fences is often a big advantage and the 10-year-old seemed inspired by the challenge when chasing home course specialist Ultragold in the Topham Trophy over the course and distance in April.
Now just a pound higher in the handicap, Shanahan's Turn returned in October with a highly creditable third at Chepstow behind Charbel and Baron Alco, both of whom have strongly boosted the form since, and he can be forgiven a subsequent lapse over just two miles on fast ground at Cheltenham, where it was clear he was always in top gear before fading.
A return to Aintree could well see him return to his best form and, while there are some useful and progressive horses in opposition - notably Crievehill, Catamaran Du Seuil and Forest Des Aigles - their supporters will be taking a chance on them taking to the course.
Captain Redbeard has run two sound races this season, finishing third to Vintage Clouds at Haydock last time, but unseated at the Foinavon fence in the Grand National here in April and got very tired in the closing stages behind Gas Line Boy in this race last year.
All eyes at Sandown will be on an enticing renewal of the Betfair Tingle Creek Chase in which Altior bids to make it ten out of ten over fences at the expense of Un De Sceaux, Sceau Royal and Saint Calvados.
The Champion Chaser's rivals deserve plenty of respect but, at level weights, the conditions are in Altior's favour and a fantastic spectacle awaits.
Earlier on the card, ICE COOL CHAMPS looks an interesting runner for the in-form Philip Hobbs team in the Pertemps Network Handicap Hurdle.
Richard Johnson's mount didn't really fire in three attempts over fences last season but the stable was under a cloud at the time, and a previous defeat of Kris Spin in testing conditions over hurdles at Uttoxeter is an eye-catching piece of form.
On that occasion, Ice Cool Champs seemed to relish the stamina test (likely to be replicated here) and both the runner-up and fourth-placed Malapie boosted the that performance subsequently while the re-opposing Eminent Poet was well beaten in fifth.
Last year's winner Holly Bush Henry races off a 5lb higher mark this time and could have had excuses for his modest reappearance run at Kempton last month given that he has since had a wind operation. The seven-year-old goes well at Sandown.
In search of some value, MILANSBAR is fancied to make a bold bid in the Betfair London National Handicap Chase.
This three miles and five furlongs will take plenty of getting but the 11-year-old has plentiful stamina for the task.
Neil King's gelding was a different horse last season when fitted with blinkers, bolting up in the Classic Chase at Warwick and then chasing home Regal Flow in the Midlands Grand National. He was also far from disgraced when finishing fifth behind Tiger Roll at Aintree in April.
All those races, and many others during his career, have come on left-hand courses but Milansbar did win at Exeter (right-handed) a couple of seasons back (when jumping well) and, with the soft ground conditions no problem and Jack Andrews taking off 7lb, he must take some beating if putting his best foot forward.
An obvious danger is Royal Vacation if he can repeat his fine second to Rock The Kasbah at Cheltenham (good) last month, and the Tizzard-trained gelding is still quite well handicapped on his best form.
However, whether he will relish this likely slog is far from certain and he hasn't run particularly well at Sandown in the past.
Posted at 1525 GMT on 07/12/18.
