Timeform highlight a ratings choice, a big improver and a Flag of note on day one of the Randox Grand National Festival at Aintree.
The Ratings Choice
Zenta – 14:20 Aintree
Only three British-trained runners went to post for the Triumph Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, all at long odds, and it certainly wasn’t a surprise that the first ten past the post all came from Irish yards. Put simply, the domestic juveniles have looked a pretty ordinary bunch all season and even a stronger numerical challenge in this Grade One probably won’t be enough to prevent Willie Mullins from adding to his Triumph success.
Mullins trained the first four home at Cheltenham, including the third Zenta, who ran a huge race on just her third start over hurdles and second for this yard. Successful in a Grade Three at Fairyhouse on her stable debut in February, she had clearly learnt plenty from that experience and progressed again to pass the post just two and a half lengths behind Lossiemouth, only losing second near the finish and pulling well clear of the rest.
Zenta once again receives 7 lb from the geldings in opposition here and the form she showed in the Triumph identifies her as very much the one to beat on Timeform’s weight-adjusted ratings. For context, she is 11 lb clear of her main form rival, Scriptwriter, and it looks an excellent opportunity for her to make it three from four over hurdles.
The Big Improver
Seeyouinmydreams – 17:15 Aintree
Mullins also saddles two runners in this Grade Two as he tries to follow up last year’s victory with Ashroe Diamond, who has since developed into a useful hurdler and gained her biggest success yet when landing a Grade One at Fairyhouse on Sunday.
Only time will tell whether there is another Ashroe Diamond in this line-up, but if there is one mare with a bit of star quality then it could be Seeyouinmydreams, who didn’t come off the bridle when making an impressive debut under Rules at Newbury last month, winning unchallenged by 11 lengths despite having raced freely at the head of affairs.
Bought for 235,000 guineas after winning her sole start in Irish points, Seeyouinmydreams must be considered an exciting prospect and remains one to follow now up in grade. The main challenge for Harry Cobden might be getting her to settle, but it’s still early days in that regard and she’s certainly in the right hands with Paul Nicholls to improve with racing.
Third Time Lucki has been found out when tackling Grade One races at this meeting for the last two years, but the strongly-run nature of this race ought to play to his strengths and there was certainly plenty of encouragement to be taken from his latest run in the Grand Annual at the Cheltenham Festival.
Beaten 11 lengths into fourth on that occasion, Third Time Lucki arguably deserved extra credit given that he was the only one of the first seven to make any inroads from rear. He was also hampered by a faller at the second last when starting to deliver his challenge and, all things considered, it was another really good run having bounced back to his best with a comfortable victory at Sandown the time before.
Third Time Lucki certainly showed enough at Cheltenham to suggest he is capable of winning from this sort of mark and the form received a boost when the runner-up, Dinoblue, won a competitive handicap at Fairyhouse on Sunday. Trained by Dan Skelton, who has his team in excellent shape (62% of horses running to form), Third Time Lucki seems sure to be in the mix once again.
More from Sporting Life
Safer gambling
We are committed in our support of safer gambling. Recommended bets are advised to over-18s and we strongly encourage readers to wager only what they can afford to lose.
If you are concerned about your gambling, please call the National Gambling Helpline / GamCare on 0808 8020 133.
Further support and information can be found at begambleaware.org and gamblingtherapy.org.