Top commentator Simon Holt offers his best bets for day one of the Grand National meeting at Aintree with Theinval fancied in the Red Rum.
Recommended Bets: Aintree Day One
2pts win Grand Vision in 4.05 Aintree at 9/2
2pts win Theinval in 4.40 Aintree at 11/2
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THE big question surrounding many of the runners at Aintree's Grand National meeting is how well they have recovered from appearances at the Cheltenham Festival.
This year, a four-week gap between the two fixtures should have allowed plenty of time to freshen up and, if they are as good now as they were last month, Might Bite and Supasundae should prove worthy favourites in the Betway Bowl Chase and the Betway Aintree Hurdle respectively on Thursday.
Might Bite looks streets ahead of his rivals as he bids to follow-up his novice chase victory here 12 months ago, and he clearly showed superior form when a gallant second to Native River at Cheltenham (Definitly Red sixth, Tea For Two seventh) compared to his more workmanlike defeat of the re-opposing Double Shuffle and Tea For Two (last year's winner of this race) in the King George at Kempton on Boxing Day.
Home reports suggest he has made a good recovery from his massive Gold Cup effort and, if so, he should be able to wing round here and win convincingly even though ground conditions might again, as at Cheltenham, be softer than ideal.
Supasundae, second to Penhill (L'Ami Serge eighth, The New One 12th) in the Stayers Hurdle at the Festival, also has powerful claims providing he remains in the same form.
Second to Yanworth in the Liverpool Hurdle (3m) 12 months ago, Jessica Harrington's charge has shown improvement and versatility since having beaten Faugheen over two miles in the Irish Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown in February. This intermediate two-and-half-mile distance ought to be ideal.
An obvious rival is My Tent Or Yours, who has twice finished second in this race without absolutely convincing that he stays thoroughly (and ground conditions could be soft enough for him) whereas the race is perfect for 2014 winner The New One even though he could finish only third behind the now absent Buveur D'Air and My Tent Or Yours last year.
However, neither Might Bite or Supasundae are likely to start at a working man's price, so we need to look elsewhere for something a bit bigger.
In the first of three races over the big Grand National fences this week, GRAND VISION could really enjoy the challenge of the Randox Health Foxhunters Chase.
The distinctive 12-year-old, one of the lightest 'greys' in training, has been in excellent heart this season winning at Lingfield and Wincanton and raced prominently before weakening into sixth behind Pacha De Polder in the Cheltenham Foxhunters last month when Balnaslow (second in this last year) finished seventh, On The Fringe ninth and Unioniste 10th.
Grand Vision's greatest asset is his jumping and it is easy to imagine him fully embracing this task over a distance, in the testing ground, which could prove ideal.
Later, THEINVAL can gained a much deserved victory in the Red Rum Handicap Chase.
Second in this race last year behind Double W's with the re-opposing Bun Doran (now 3lb worse off) nearly four lengths away in third, Nicky Henderson's charge seems to come good in the spring and followed that effort with two excellent seconds on consecutive days at Ayr.
Down 7lb in the ratings this season (and off a 3lb lower mark in this race), Theinval signalled a return to form at Cheltenham last month when fourth to Le Prezien in the Grand Annual despite being hampered four out and is fancied to turn the tables on the bold-jumping runner-up Gino Trail on slightly better terms.
Moreover, he seems to like Aintree having won a competitive handicap hurdle at this meeting in 2015.
The David Pipe-trained King's Socks looks an interesting rival dropping back in trip after finishing fifth to The Storyteller at Cheltenham where he travelled strongly up to the second last on only his second start in this country.
The six-year-old is potentially well handicapped on his second to Arkle winner Footpad over hurdles at Auteuil in June, 2016 even if a little flattered that day.