Timeform highlight a ratings choice, a big improver and a Flag of note on day two of the Randox Grand National Festival at Aintree.
The Ratings Banker
Gerri Colombe - 13:45 Aintree
Gerri Colombe lost his unbeaten record in the Brown Advisory Novices' Chase at the Cheltenham Festival on his eighth start under Rules, but he ran a cracker in defeat, only just failing to peg back The Real Whacker who received a perfectly-judged front-running ride.
That was a very smart effort from Gerri Colombe, who only lost out by a short-head having been four or five lengths behind at the final fence, and was of a similar level to the sort of form he had shown when winning Grade 1s at Limerick and Sandown on his previous two outings.
He is at least 4 lb clear of his rivals on Timeform's weight-adjusted ratings - Bronn was more than four lengths behind him in third at Cheltenham - and this looks like a good opportunity for him to resume winning ways.
The Big Improver
Grey Dawning - 16:40 Aintree
Grey Dawning was successful on both outings in bumpers last season and has progressed well over hurdles this term, winning three of his four starts.
He had to settle for second on his hurdling debut at Aintree in November, but he shaped with plenty of encouragement and confirmed that promise when landing a novice at Exeter the following month. Grey Dawning then justified strong support on his handicap debut at Kempton and took another step forward to land the Grade 2 Leamington Novices' Hurdle at Warwick last time, showing bundles of stamina in that two-mile-five-furlong event that was run at a good gallop on testing ground.
The way he stayed on at Warwick suggests he ought to relish the step up to three miles here and he can raise his game over this longer trip.
The Timeform Flag
Fakir d'Oudairies - 15:30 Aintree
Horses For Courses, Top-Rated
Fakir d'Oudairies was a wide-margin winner of this race in 2021 and he followed up in comfortable fashion last year, beating Hitman by five and a half lengths to register a fourth Grade 1 success.
He arrives here on the back of a disappointing effort in the Ascot Chase a couple of months ago when bidding to defend that crown, but he's been freshened up since that distant third, he's fitted with cheekpieces for the first time here and the return to Aintree could help (he has the Horses For Courses Flag).
Fakir d'Oudairies - who ran close to his best on Timeform's figures when an admittedly fortunate winner of the Kinloch Brae on his penultimate start - has the strongest form on offer and is at least 3 lb clear at the head of Timeform's weight-adjusted ratings.
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