Timeform provide an overview of three things to note on Sunday.
Boom for Skelton in Old Roan
There’s an early inspection (8am) at Aintree on Sunday with strong winds forecast, but fingers crossed the card gets the go ahead as there are several points of interest including one of the first big signposts of the season in the Grade 2 William Hill Old Roan Limited Handicap Chase over 2m4f (15:00).
Won by Kauto Star, Albertas Run, Frodon and Monet’s Garden (three times, had the race named in his honour for a little while) in the past, this is an early assignment for big guns and higher-end handicappers alike and, surprise surprise, Dan Skelton looks to have targeted it this year.
Boombawn is the horse that looks to have been laid out for the contest, his reappearance sixth at Chepstow last time looking a pipe-opener for the nine-year-old who has a good Aintree record. Last year he was fourth in this race off a 10lb higher mark and 12 months ago he arrived in Liverpool without a run under his belt.
The first-time cheekpieces look another signal from Skelton that this is Boombawn’s cup final, and with several others likely to be using this as a stepping stone he rates a confident selection.
Genius placing from O’Neill
In the William Hill Vieux Lion Rouge Veterans' Handicap Chase (14:25) only five have turned up but they are all 10-year-olds that are new in the sphere which will likely make this a very tight little betting contest.
We prefer Monbeg Genius for Jonjo and A J O’Neill, the top weight returning in the blinkers, the headgear he finished last season in, including his penultimate run in the Kim Muir at Cheltenham where he was a good third.
He finished his season in the Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse, where he shaped as if still in good form under a bold front-running ride, tactics which saw him tire into a remote fifth.
This looks quite a severe drop in class, then, and with the O’Neill yard in good form he is taken to hit the ground running on Sunday.
Twiston shout in novice handicap chase
Finally, another stable who have started the season very well is that of Nigel & Willy Twiston-Davies and they could have a winner earlier on the card with Un Sens A La Vie in the William Hill Best Odds Guaranteed Novices' Limited Handicap Chase (13:50).
The six-year-old has had a run over hurdles at Market Rasen last month where he took advantage of calmer waters (ran in the valuable Newbury William Hill Hurdle last season) when winning by a head, just doing enough.
That should bring him on plenty fitness wise and he looks a chaser all over, so he could be the one to be on here making his fencing debut.
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