Jango Baie powers to victory at Ascot

Aintree Grand National Festival jury following the six-day entries for day one

By Sporting Life

Horse Racing

Fri April 03, 2026 · 3h ago

Andrew Asquith, Matt Brocklebank, Nic Doggett and Ben Linfoot answer the key questions following the release of teh six-day entries for day one at Aintree next Thursday.

How do you view the challenge of the Cheltenham Gold Cup horses in the Grade 1 Racing Welfare Bowl?

Andrew Asquith: Connections of Grey Dawning are reportedly looking at the option of dropping in trip in the Melling later in the week, so he’s not a guaranteed runner. Jango Baie ran a cracker to finish second in the Gold Cup, but you do worry if that big effort has left a mark, and he disappointed at this meeting last year after winning the Arkle, so that is another worry. Grey Dawning would be high on my shortlist if taking his chance, but so would Spillane’s Tower. However, he was withdrawn at this meeting 12 months ago on account of unsuitable ground, as he was prior to the Gold Cup last month, and there isn’t much rain in the forecast, so that would be a concern. It looks a trappy renewal at this stage.

Matt Brocklebank: I’d always be a little bit wary. I mean, how can you not be wary? Cheltenham runner-up Jango Baie has the best form but was a touch below his peak here after winning last year’s Arkle, while Grey Dawning’s effort in the Gold Cup left Dan Skelton pondering a drop back in trip. I feel the Ryanair Chase third Banbridge should actually run in this race, rather than the Grand National, but we’ll have to see how that shakes down at final decs.

Nic Doggett: Grey Dawning ran very well considering he missed a fence or two at a key point, but he was disappointing when running at both meetings in 2024. His second to Gaelic Warrior in this last year is obviously fine form, but he came here fresh that day. Contrastingly, a hard race at in the Arkle last year didn’t seem to do Jango Baie much harm when not beaten far behind Impaire Et Passe at this meeting. I think a testing finish suits him best, but he isn't up against much here and - as odd as it might sound - that 8/11 could look good value if the race cuts up as expected.

Ben Linfoot: A theme of the week will be the extra time between Cheltenham and Aintree this year and that gives Jango Baie and Grey Dawning every chance in this race. Both ran well in the Gold Cup, with Grey Dawning having eight lengths to make up on Jango Baie and Nicky Henderson’s horse probably does have a slight class edge on the Dan Skelton-trained runner all things considered. A few of these also have the option of the Melling Chase, so I would anticipate a small field and Jango Baie will likely be a short price. He could be tough to beat.

Can The New Lion improve for going out in trip in the William Hill Aintree Hurdle?

Andrew Asquith: Definitely! He travelled into the Champion Hurdle in the style of a classy horse but just didn’t have the same turn of foot as Lossiemouth. He’s unbeaten at around two and a half miles and will be seen to much better effect back at this trip, while his run style will be well suited to a flat track. However, he does have half a length to find with Brighterdaysahead if she reopposes, so he won’t have things all his own way. She was a brilliant winner of the Mersey Novices’ Hurdle over the same course and distance a couple of years ago, and she’s another who will likely appreciate the step back up in trip.

Matt Brocklebank: The New Lion is surely going to be more effective over this trip than the sharp two miles around Cheltenham. Moreover, he might even be more of a Stayers’ Hurdle candidate come the spring of next season. Alexei produced a big effort in the Champion and would have finished much closer had he not made much a mess of the final flight. I’m intrigued to see what he might be able to do over this intermediate trip as his raw speed should be an asset on the flat track.

Nic Doggett: He can – he's a brother to Kateira and his novice form was over this sort of trip - but is it enough to beat his rivals? None of his form, including his Turners’ win last term, looks top-notch and the proximity of Alexei and Golden Ace makes me wonder about what he achieved in the Champion Hurdle. I’ll be taking him on, possibly with El Fabiolo. He seems to be enjoying life over hurdles and this looks the perfect race; certainly it appears to be less of an afterthought than some of those who ran at Cheltenham.

Ben Linfoot: I think he probably can, he certainly looked short of a gear at two miles against Lossiemouth in the Champion Hurdle. This is probably more of a natural distance for him, but you could say the same for Brighterdaysahead and Alexei, who finished either side of him in the Champion Hurdle, as well, so any improvement might not automatically be converted into a victory. Stablemate Kabral Du Mathan is an interesting entry against him, too.

The New Lion on his way to Unibet Hurdle victory

Will the real Lulamba show up in the Manifesto now he emerges from the shadows of the Mullins A-listers?

Andrew Asquith: I think so yes, and he’ll also appreciate the step up in trip, too. He still held every chance coming down to the second-last in the Arkle, but he got that fence all wrong and it ended his chance of winning. He stuck to his task well from there and I think he’d have given the winner something to think about barring that mistake. His jumping wasn’t foot perfect throughout in the Arkle, but he should get more time at his fences over this longer trip where they’ll likely go a stride slower, and I think we’ll see an even better version of Lulamba now having his stamina stretched.

Matt Brocklebank: I didn’t think Lulamba did his reputation that much harm at all in the Arkle to be honest. He had no chance after that one shuddering error two from home but stuck at it well enough and he should be more comfortable going two and a half miles here. I’ll be really disappointed if he can’t notch his second Grade 1 win over fences next week.

Nic Doggett: Yes, but I’m not sure it’s the lack of Closutton stars, but more this step up in trip. He wasn’t suited by the tactical nature of the Arkle, as he had also looked a bit flat-footed when first asked for an effort in the Game Spirit before powering clear late on. That’s not to say it’s a penalty kick, though. There wasn’t a right novice race for Koktail Divin last month but this looks more suitable, as it does for Mambonumberfive who hadn’t filled his frame when well-beaten at this meeting last year but looks to have been aimed at it this time around.

Ben Linfoot: Still a couple of entries here for Willie Mullins in Gold Dancer and Salvator Mundi, but yes, it looks the B-team from Closutton. That could open the door for Lulamba to get his second Grade 1 win of the season under his belt but Koktail Divin dropping back from three miles looks an interesting one against him. Lulamba will have to jump better than he did at Cheltenham but he’s clearly classy and the 2m4f trip could help him in that department.

Give us one other horse that takes your eye for day one of Aintree from the six-day decs?

Andrew Asquith: I liked the claims of Stencil in the Golden Miller at the Cheltenham Festival, but he’s an exuberant type and he failed to settle upped to two and a half miles for the first time. You can put a line through that effort and I’m expecting a much better performance back at two miles in the Close Brothers Red Rum Handicap Chase (16:40). There should be a big field for this and hopefully a strong pace, conditions which will suit Stencil much better, allowing him to settle and come through rivals. This sharper, flat track will also be in his favour, and I’m convinced he’s well treated of 139.

Matt Brocklebank: I haven’t fully assessed every horse in opposition just yet but it was hard not to be quite taken by Martini Majesty’s debut win at Ascot in February and Alan King has kept her fresh since for a shot at the ‘Nickel Coin’ bumper, a race the yard has won three times in the past thanks to Senorita Rumbalita, Avispa and The Glancing Queen. She’s a close relative to Trueshan and quickened up smartly when asked for an effort first time out so is definitely one to keep an eye on.

Nic Doggett: You don’t exactly need to be Poirot to find Sans Bruit, but connections look to have done a fine job of getting him competitively-handicapped ahead of his hat-trick bid in the Red Rum. He is only 3 lb higher than for his previous wins and I thought he ran well on unsuitably soft ground at Windsor back in January. This has clearly been the plan for some time and he will take plenty of catching.

Ben Linfoot: Interesting to see Manlaga entered in the Grade 1 Boodles Anniversary 4-Y-O Juvenile Hurdle after finishing seventh in the Fred Winter. She could never get into contention at Cheltenham, but I think this track will suit her style of racing much better and last year’s winner Murcia won this after finishing eighth in the Fred Winter. She looks an Aintree type, for all she’s got a few pounds to find with the best of these on the bare form.

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