Mark Howard with the horses on his radar ahead of the Randox Grand National Festival at Aintree.
A strong early pace is guaranteed in the Grade One Brooklands Golden Miller Chronograph Bowl Chase on Thursday (2.55) with Ahoy Senor, Grey Dawning, Stage Star and The Real Whacker expected to line up.
Such tactics are likely to play into the hands of Irish raider SPILLANE’S TOWER. Jimmy Mangan’s stable star is a dual Grade 1 winning novice chaser from last season coming good in the spring of 2024 – winning the 2m 4f novice chase at Fairyhouse (Heavy) followed by the 3m 1f novice chase at the Punchestown Festival (Yielding). Rated 164 and a four times winner over fences, the Walk In The Park gelding produced a career best on his seasonal reappearance when finishing half a length second behind Fact To File in the Grade 1 John Durkan Memorial Chase at Punchestown (2m 3f : Soft) – Grade 1 winners Galopin Des Champs, Fastorslow, Minella Cocooner, Inothewayurthinkin and Grangeclare West all finished behind him. Below par when only fifth in the King George at Kempton, he reportedly didn’t take the journey very well, which is a minor concern here. His record on yielding and good/soft is 1U21 and the seven year old remains unexposed over the trip. Absent for 98 days, he is back in rude health at home and a bold showing is anticipated.
Surprisingly, Willie Mullins has yet to win the Grade One Huyton Asphalt Franny Blennerhassett Memorial Mildmay Novices' Chase on Friday (1.45) and the head of Closutton has entered three at the six day stage. DANCING CITY was still in front when making a mistake at the third last in the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase at Cheltenham. The eight-year-old dropped out of contention thereafter with Danny Mullins easing off his mount. Prior to that, the triple Grade 1 winning novice hurdler had looked good in his two chases winning decisively at Punchestown (2m 7f : Yielding) and Naas (3m 1f : Heavy).
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Third in the Albert Bartlett NH at Cheltenham last year, the Feels Like Dancing gelding bounced back at this meeting when winning the Grade 1 Sefton Novices’ Hurdle by five and a half lengths. A strong stayer, he is at his best on testing ground but is effective on a drier surface – his form figures on good/yielding and good/soft are 121116. Paul Townend (51111) will hopefully be back on board, which is another plus.
Nicky Henderson has a good record in the William Hill Handicap Hurdle (2.20) on Friday and the head of Seven Barrows is responsible for three of the 46 entries. Minella Forfitness (2013), Theinval (2015) and Rather Be (2017) won it, while Mister Coffey (4th in 2021), Fils D’oudairies (2nd in 2022), Balco Coastal (3rd in 2022) and Jango Baie (2nd in 2024) were placed for the stable in recent years. Coral Cup runner-up Impose Toi tops the weights with his rating of 145 and will shoulder twelve stone, if lining up.
Further down the weights, I like his stablemate EAST INDIA EXPRESS who remains attractively treated off 129. The Milan gelding has won two of his three races this campaign. Those two victories came in the space of six days in December. A head winner of a conditional jockeys’ handicap hurdle at Ascot (2m 5f : Good/Soft) off 123, the runner-up Double Powerful had won his previous six races and has finished third in a valuable contest at Kempton since. Back in action less than a week later without a penalty, Freddie Gordon’s mount made short work of eight opponents at Kempton (2m 5f : Good) on Boxing Day. Leading after the second last, he was firmly on top at the line. Saved for the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle at Cheltenham (2m 4f : Good/Soft), he returned from an absence of 78 days and was heavily supported. Sent off 4/1, the six year old raced prominently on the outside. In front turning for home, his effort petered out approaching the last eventually finishing seventh.
A half-brother to the Scottish National runner-up Surrey Quest, I think the key to him is racing on flat tracks. He is a three times winner at Kempton and has run well at Newbury. His older brother has shown his best form on similar tracks, too. His form figures on good / good to soft ground are 11U117. Nico De Boinville (142U) will be back on board here and he has more to offer.
GRANGECLARE WEST is one of my fancies for the Randox Grand National on Saturday (4.00). A €430,000 purchase having won a point-to-point for Denis Murphy, the Cheveley Park Stud owned gelding has won 2 of his 6 races over fences and is rated 163. Unbeaten in two races as a novice chaser last term, the nine year old beat the ill-fated Corbetts Cross by six lengths in a Grade 1 novice at Leopardstown (3m : Soft) in December 2023. Forced to miss the remainder of the campaign, he is without a victory in four runs this season. However, the Presenting gelding produced a career best when less than five lengths second behind Galopin Des Champs in the Irish Gold Cup at Leopardstown (3m : Yielding) in February under Brian Hayes (25). Jumping superbly and travelling strongly, he stayed on well behind his stablemate with subsequent Grade 1 Cheltenham Festival winners Fact To File (3rd) and Inothewayurthinkin (fourth) in behind, plus Hewick (seventh), I Am Maximus (eighth) and Minella Cocooner (ninth).
Last of five over an inadequate trip (2m 4f : Heavy) at Navan in early March, he needed to have a sixth run over fences to qualify. Given a sympathetic ride, he has been off 35 days since and better ground here will be an advantage. Unbeaten at this time of year – 2 from 2 in April/May – he won a 23 runner maiden hurdle in November 2022 and is therefore able to cope with large fields. His form figures on good/yielding ground are 6162 and his record over three miles is 1162 – he has yet to race beyond that.
EL CAIROS was one of my eyecatchers in this column following the Cheltenham Festival and the ex-Irish pointer has the opportunity to gain a Graded success in the concluding bumper on Saturday (5.35).
Trained by Gary & Josh Moore, the five year old had impressed when winning on his Rules debut at Newbury in November. The son of No Risk At All was then absent for 125 days before returning to action in the Festival bumper and was only beaten five lengths. Owned and ridden by David Maxwell, his chance was comprised in the homestraight when getting involved in a barging match with the eventual third Shuttle Diplomacy. All three of his career starts have been on decent ground and the flatter track at Aintree will be tailormade for the former Sean Doyle trained inmate. The Moore stable won this with another five year old Megastar in 2010.
- Mark Howard’s Aintree Grand National meeting preview is published on Tuesday. Priced at £8.00, it can be ordered via www.mhpublications.co.uk.
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