DAILY RACING PREVIEW BY ANDY HOLDING
THURSDAY APRIL 9
1.45 AINTREE
The second, third and fourth in the Triumph reoppose and SELMA DE VARY is fancied to come out on top at a track that should showcase her talents better than Cheltenham.
Willie Mullins’ filly was keen from the outset 27 days ago, but rather than try and drop her in behind horses and get some cover, for some reason Paul Townend allowed her to race widest of all to further accentuate the problem.
As a result, she didn’t have as much left in the locker for the final pull uphill to the line than ordinarily would have been the case and in the end, she had to settle for a minor role just on the heels of the main players.
Of course, there is always a chance she will be rank again in the early stages and blow her chances but based on the theory, the sharper circuit and likely strong pace should help her switch off better, she has the ability to turn around the form with Maestro Conti and Minella Study if the cards fall in her favour.
Of those that didn’t run in the Grade 1 at Prestbury Park, WINSTON JUNIOR rates a big threat on his effort in the Fred Winter and he is worth a small saver to provide burgeoning handler Faye Bramley with another big moment.
As events panned out at the festival, the son of Churchill was too far back to reel in Saratoga, who obtained first run off the home bend, but the way he stayed on up the hill was hugely encouraging going forward and he is clearly a juvenile of some talent.
Moreover, he has plenty of form on the Flat to suggest quicker conditions will suit and this strong-travelling type should also be suited by the track.
SELMA DE VARY – 1-point win@11-4
WINSTON JUNIOR – ½ point win@5-1
2.20 AINTREE
In what might turn out to be a dress rehearsal for next season’s Ryanair, KOKTAIL DIVIN is taken to provide Lulamba with all the trouble he can handle over a trip that will play more into his strengths than last time.
The decision to bypass the Jack Richards handicap in favour of tackling the Grade 1 Brown Advisory a month ago was a tough one for connections, and in hindsight, the choice they made ended up backfiring.
That said, for nine tenths of the three-mile journey, the bold ploy looked like coming off and it was only from the back of the second last that Henry De Bromhead’s inmate starting to run out of petrol.
The way he jumped and travelled up to that point was reminiscent of how he went through his race over 2m5f at Leopardstown over Christmas and if given license to bowl along at the head of affairs, he may expose any chinks in the amour of the favourite, who has looked far from bombproof over his fences thus far.
KOKTAIL DIVIN – 1-point win@5-2
3.30 AINTREE
There’s no denying Barton Snow is the most talented hunter chaser on show here and it may just all boil down to whether he handles these unique fences at the first time of asking.
Strictly on Cheltenham form, he holds ITS ON THE LINE but a look back at the evidence on offer from last month suggests Emmet Mullins’ inmate was arguably a shade unfortunate how events unfolded and along with the vital experience he has gather from the Aintree fences, he rates the better option from an each-way perspective.
In line with how many of the (standing) starts unfolded at the festival, the hunter chasers weren’t exempt from the shambolic scenes and the nine-year-old, bidding to get a flyer, ended up missing the break and being pinned to the inside fence jumping the first.
As a result, he found himself a good 15 lengths off the pace through the first half a mile, in contrast to Barton Snow, who enjoyed a smooth passage at the head of affairs and although the son of Presenting made up the lost deficit to hold every chance at the second last, the energy he expended in doing so ultimately caught up with him late on.
Winner of this race two years ago, he missed last season due to the meeting coming sooner than ideal but with this year’s renewal offering more time to recover, he comes back here in a bid to regain his crown hopefully with enough petrol in his tank to turn around the form with his old rival.
At the very worst, he should easily be good enough to fill one of the first four or five places on offer with most bookmakers.
ITS ON THE LINE – 1-point each-way@5-1
4.40 AINTREE
SAN BRUIT bids to land this prize for the third year in succession and he should be the obvious starting point for most punters.
Clearly, this sharp, left-handed track suits his sweet spot and his two dominate displays have often been in stark contrast to how his previous efforts in the season have played out.
Beaten 47 lengths prior to when arriving here last season, he didn’t run too badly on his latest start at Windsor back in January and having dropped down to a mark almost identical to what he raced off twelve months ago, Paul Nicholls’ inmate should be primed to peak again on his favoured fast ground.
If San Bruit doesn’t win this race, Henry De Bromhead often does and INTHEPOCKET could easily follow in the footsteps of Dancing On My Own and Moon Over Germany in recent times.
Laid out for the Grand Annual at the Cheltenham festival, the nine-year-old didn’t get off to the best of starts (joining the club) but he was noted making stealthy late headway until being unsighted and falling two out.
Up to the point when he capsized, he was showing all the old verve that allowed him to capture a Grade 1 at Aintree as a novice hurdler and providing he doesn’t get too far back in the early stages (most of the winners of this contest have raced prominently) he has the class to make an impact at the business end.
SAN BRUIT – 1-point win@3-1
INTHEPOCKET – 1-point win@7-1