Our form expert has had 8/1 and 11/1 winners in his last two Verdict columns - don't miss his three selections for Thursday's ITV action from Aintree.
The Verdict: Thursday April 9
2pts win Winston Junior in 13:45 Aintree at 5/1 (General)
1pt win Protektorat in 14:55 Aintree at 15/2 (General)
1pt e.w. Jasko Des Dames in 16:40 Aintree at 14/1 (Unibet, William Hill, bet365 1/5 1,2,3,4)
Go Pro in the Bowl on day one
An extra week between Cheltenham and Aintree sees the Festival horses turn up for the Grand National meeting after four weeks off and it will be interesting to see if that has a bearing on results.
It’s certainly difficult to see the Grade 1 William Hill Aintree Hurdle going anywhere but the Champion Hurdle crew, with the second, third, fourth and fifth doing battle again over half a mile further. The extra distance could suit them all, in theory, but Brighterdaysahead and The New Lion are disputing favouritism and they’ll probably be fighting for the gold medal position on the track, as well.
There’s a slightly disappointing turnout for the Grade 1 Racing Welfare Bowl Chase over 3m1f and a bit more on the Mildmay course, but hot favourite Jango Baie could be more vulnerable than the even-money odds suggest.
He slightly regressed from his Arkle win at this meeting last year in defeat and he had a tough race in the Cheltenham Gold Cup, for all that his second place there automatically makes him the form choice here.
Six Bowl winners have come in here fresher than the Cheltenham horses in the last 15 renewals, including last year, and over this trip I’m often happy to take on a prominent Gold Cup runner, as is the case again here at the odds.
Five could become four if Spillane’s Tower is taken out on account of the ground, while Impaire Et Passe and Pic d’Orhy both have to prove themselves at the trip and the Willie Mullins-trained horse also has to bounce back from a dull performance in the Ryanair at Cheltenham.
That leaves PROTEKTORAT who looks generously priced up at 15/2 after skipping Cheltenham for the first time in five seasons. Dan Skelton has taken a different approach with his 11-year-old this campaign and he could be well rewarded here in what looks a very winnable renewal if Jango Baie isn’t quite at his best level.
Crucially, he looks to retain all of his verve and spark despite his veteran status and a relatively light campaign can be of real benefit to him in this race, which he hasn’t competed in for four years as he’s been chasing Jonbon home in the Melling.
Skelton played a blinder in dropping him in trip at the right time to bag the 2024 Ryanair Chase, but we know this horse stays really well and one of his best-ever performances came over this course and distance when he routed them in the 2021 Many Clouds Chase.
He handles good ground well as he showed in last year’s Melling and he always responds well to wind surgery as he has again after his fifth breathing procedure in November.
Wins at Windsor and Kelso since then suggest he might still have one last Grade 1 in him to go with the three he collected in the Manifesto, Betfair Chase and Ryanair, while he has excellent Aintree form figures of 11432.
Those last three efforts have come after the Cheltenham Festival, so Skelton has given him the best possible chance of adding another win to that list off an ideal preparation in a race that has been kind to the elder statesmen ever since its inception in 1984 (16 horses aged 10 and over have won this race, the last being Clan Des Obeaux for two of Protektorat’s owners in 2022).
The Verdict: Back PROTEKTORAT in the 14.55 Aintree
Winston set for finest hour in Anniversary
The meeting kicks off with the Grade 1 Boodles Anniversary 4-Y-O Juvenile Hurdle and just like last year it’s the Fred Winter form that could come to the fore.
Murcia won this race 12 months ago having finished eighth in the Cheltenham handicap and this time around Faye Bramley’s WINSTON JUNIOR steps up in grade after finishing second at the Festival.
He travelled well in the Fred Winter and didn’t get the cleanest passage through, but he’s shaped like an Aintree horse all season and this is a track where his Flat speed can be a serious weapon.
With Paul Nicholls having no runner Harry Cobden gets back on board and he’s got an excellent five from 13 record for Bramley, while he renews acquaintances with this horse after winning in a canter on him at Ascot.
Winston Junior has improved with each run, he’s got very little to find with the Triumph horses and this race looks a perfect fit for him and his rider.
The Verdict: Back WINSTON JUNIOR in the 13.45 Aintree
Henry the chief threat to Sans hat-trick
Finally, Henry de Bromhead could spoil the Sans Bruit party in the Close Brothers Red Rum Handicap Chase.
Paul Nicholls has done remarkably well to get Sans Bruit in here again off a mark in the low 130s and that gives him a cracking chance of winning this race for the third consecutive year.
The market is onto it, though, and that opens the door for an each-way bet on JASKO DES DAMES at 12/1.
De Bromhead has a terrific record in this race, with two wins, two seconds and two thirds over the years, and Jasko Des Dames has a good each-way chance.
Stablemate Inthepocket is much shorter in the betting in the JP McManus silks, but he comes in here off the back of a fall in the Grand Annual where Jasko Des Dames was fifth for the second successive year.
Both times he faded up the hill after moving into things menacingly and it could be that he’ll much prefer the flat terrain at Aintree.
He’ll certainly like the good ground and Darragh O’Keeffe could well get a dream drag into this off Sans Bruit and Javert Allen, so there are plenty of reasons to get involved.
The Verdict: Back JASKO DES DAMES in the 16.40 Aintree
Preview posted at 15:22 BST on 08/04/26
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