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15:25 Aintree

Friday 13 April 2018

All13:4514:2014:5015:2516:0516:4017:15

JLT Melling Chase (Grade 1)

Off time: 15:26 | Winning time: 5m 18.5s

1^st

Politologue

711-7

11/1

T: P F NichollsJ: Sam Twiston-Davies

Tracked leader from 2nd, not fluent 10th or 12th, challenged 3 out, soon led, ridden and headed narrowly just before last, led again flat, held on gamely op 10/1

2^nd

Min

711-7

11/10f

T: W P MullinsJ: P Townend

Travelled strongly, 2nd until the 2nd, raced in 3rd until challenged 3 out, jumped right 2 out, shaken up to lead narrowly before last, headed flat, stayed on, just held close home op Evens tchd 6/5 and 5/4

3^rd

Sizing Granite

1011-7

20/1

T: C L TizzardJ: R M Power

Held up in rear, mistake and rider lost left iron briefly 1st, blundered 9th, went 4th 4 out, closed when not fluent 3 out, went 3rd after 2 out, no impression on front pair and weakened before last op 25/1 tchd 33/1

4^th

Balko Des Flos

711-7

2/1

T: H De BromheadJ: D N Russell

Led, clear 2nd until 7th, jumped right 9th, joined 3 out, soon headed, not fluent 2 out, lost 3rd and weakened soon after tchd 15/8

5^th

Cloudy Dream

811-7

10/1

T: Ruth JeffersonJ: B S Hughes

Held up in 4th, closed on inside 10th, shaken up and beaten in last after 4 out, weakened before 2 out op 12/1

Also Ran

Le Prezien

711-7

11/1

T: P F NichollsJ: B J Geraghty

Not always fluent, held up in 5th, last before 9th, pulled up before 10th op 14/1

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Betting Breakdown

Tote Win:£11.70Pl:£3.60, £1.30EX:£28.70Trifecta:£261.50SF:£24.70Swingers:£3.00, £14.60, £4.60

Forecasts

Min (11/10), Balko Des Flos (2/1), Cloudy Dream (10/1), Politologue (11/1), Le Prezien (11/1), Sizing Granite (20/1)

No Altior, so that will be music to the ears of the majority of connections. Min would be unbeaten in England and Ireland but for Altior, and that horse was once more his nemesis in the Champion Chase last month; a race in which he comfortably accounted for Politologue (fourth). He's almost certainly able to stay this longer trip, but could just be found wanting beyond 2m1f at Grade 1 level. Therefore, a clear preference is for the fast improving Ryanair Chase winner BALKO DES FLOS. He appears totally versatile in terms of underfoot conditions and should prove strongest stamina wise, even allowing for Aintree being a much lesser test than the undulating Cheltenham.