16:05 Aintree

Thursday 12 April 2018

All13:4514:2014:5015:2516:0516:4017:15

Randox Health Foxhunters' Open Hunters' Chase (National Course)

Off time: 16:05 | Winning time: 5m 48.58s

Balnaslow²⁷

Age: 11| Weight: 12-0| J: Mr Derek O'Connor| T: G J McKeever| OR: 135

11/2

Finished runner-up in this race last year and was subsequently victorious in a valuable contest at Punchestown (good-to-yielding). Ran well at Cheltenham last time out and looks likely to play a leading role here.

Form: 521-2P7

Barrakilla³²

Age: 11| Weight: 12-0| J: Mr Zac Baker| T: F O'Brien| OR: 128| BF| D

8/1

Useful chaser on his day and made the perfect start to his hunter chase career when winning at Bangor (heavy) over an extended 2m4f in February. Finished second next time out and is an interesting runner.

Form: 0243/12

Bear's Affair⁹³

Age: 12| Weight: 12-0| J: Alex Edwards| T: P Rowley| OR: 128| C| D

20/1

Saw off subsequent hunter chase winner Full Trottle when winning a point-to-point at Cottenham (good) in December and finished third in a Taunton hunter chase next time. Finished seventh in this race 12 months ago.

Form: 71-F613

Bound For Glory^t³²

Age: 12| Weight: 12-0| J: Miss Hannah Lewis| T: D Fitch-Peyton| OR: 100

100/1

Point-to-point winner in November and finished third at Charlton Horethorne (soft) last time out. Saddle slipped when unseating here in 2016 and finished fifth to On The Fringe the year before.

Form: 2-25213

Curraigflemens^p1¹²

Age: 10| Weight: 12-0| J: Mr Richard Collinson| T: D Kemp| OR: 113| DWS

66/1

Dual hunter chase winner and successful in a point-to-point at Horseheath (good-to-soft, soft in places) last time out. Cheekpieces worn on that occasion are retained but he looks up against it in this company.

Form: 611331

Distime⁶⁰

Age: 12| Weight: 12-0| J: Mr William Biddick| T: Mrs D Ralph| OR: 120

14/1

Placed twice in point-to-point company at Chaddesley Corbett and clearly retains plenty of ability. Unseated early in this contest last year but has run well over C&D in the past and has a leading jockey booked to ride here.

Form: 34/3U-32

Eddies Miracle²⁴

Age: 10| Weight: 12-0| J: Mr B O'Neill| T: D M Christie

16/1

Six time point-to-point winner and got off the mark over regulations fences when winning over an extended 2m3f at Down Royal (heavy) last time out. Stepping up markedly in grade now.

Form: 21F141

Gallery Exhibition^t⁶⁸

Age: 11| Weight: 12-0| J: Mr G Disney| T: K Bailey & M Nicholls| OR: 130| D

40/1

Winner of a mark of 128 at Kempton (3m, good) 12 months ago and made a promising hunter chase debut when 22L third of six to Wonderful Charm at Musselburgh (3m3f, soft) last time. Drop in trip should suit.

Form: PU61-63

Grand Vision²⁷

Age: 12| Weight: 12-0| J: Mr J J Codd| T: C L Tizzard| OR: 141| D

7/2

Dual handicap chase winner this season and acquitted himself well when finishing sixth at Cheltenham (soft) last month. Leading jockey booked to ride and he is an interesting runner.

Form: 20-1216

Greensalt^t³⁶

Age: 10| Weight: 12-0| J: Mr William Easterby| T: W Easterby| OR: 106

66/1

Point-to-point winner at Duncombe Park (good-to-soft) in February and finished third to two subsequent winners in a novice hunter chase at Catterick the following month. Stepping up in grade here.

Form: 21B/313

Lilbitluso⁵³

Age: 10| Weight: 12-0| J: Mr G Crow| T: J J O'Shea| OR: 103| BF

100/1

Winning for the fifth time in point-to-point company when successful at Thorpe Lodge (good-to-soft) in June. Well beaten second since and interesting to see how he fares on his first start over these fences.

Form: P-23F12

Mon Parrain^b,t³²

Age: 12| Weight: 12-0| J: Page Fuller| T: Mrs K Smyly| OR: 127

40/1

Placed over these fences when trained by Paul Nicholls and has finished in the first three on four of his five starts for this yard. Tongue-tie returns and blinkers replace the cheekpieces worn of late. Second start since a wind op.

Form: 382323

Never Complain^p³⁴

Age: 10| Weight: 12-0| J: Mr Charlie Marshall| T: Mrs F Marshall| OR: 117| D

66/1

Multiple point-to-point winner and ran well to finish third in a hunter chase at Leicester last time out. This looks tougher however and he looks up against it in this contest.

Form: 2-11UP3

On The Fringe²⁷

Age: 13| Weight: 12-0| J: Ms N Carberry| T: E Bolger| OR: 136| CD

8/1

Winner of this race in 2015 and 2016 but has struggled in recent years and could finish only 18L ninth at Cheltenham (soft) last time out. Leading jockey booked to ride once more.

Form: 4P5-P29

Rouge Et Blanc^p³⁴

Age: 13| Weight: 12-0| J: Miss Pippa Glanville| T: O Sherwood| OR: 114| D

66/1

Useful chaser on his day and impressed when winning over 2m4f at Lingfield (heavy) in February. Finished runner-up at Leicester since but looks up against it on this occasion.

Form: UP-P612

Sir Jack Yeats^b²⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 12-0| J: Mr James King| T: R Spencer| OR: 127

16/1

Dual hunter chase winner earlier in the campaign, including on heavy ground at Kelso in February. Well held at Cheltenham on his most recent start however and tackling these fences for the first time.

Form: 053110

Unioniste¹⁵

Age: 10| Weight: 12-0| J: Mr D Maxwell| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 133| C| D

8/1

Successful three times under David Maxwell this season most recently when the only finisher at Wincanton (3m1f, heavy) a fortnight ago. Stays well and therefore vulnerable dropping in trip.

Form: 9-21101

Warden Hill^p²⁷

Age: 10| Weight: 12-0| J: Mr T Chatfeild-Roberts| T: Mrs H Connors| OR: 119| D

50/1

Subject of strong support when winning a hunter chase over 3m2f at Doncaster (good-to-soft) in February. Well held at Cheltenham subsequently and likely more needed if he's to take this contest.

Form: 12-1310

Wells De Lune^h,t²⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 12-0| J: Mr Peter Bryan| T: M Bowen| OR: 131| D

16/1

Followed up a decent second at Bangor (2m4f, heavy) by winning a Ffos Las (2m4f, heavy) hunter chase nine days later. Pulled up over 3m2f at Cheltenham last time and this trip looks more suitable.

Form: 165-21P

Winged Crusader¹⁹

Age: 10| Weight: 12-0| J: Amie Waugh| T: Miss A Waugh| OR: 114

66/1

Alnwick point-to-point winner on good ground in December and some fair efforts in hunter chase company since. Decent third in a point-to-point last time but more needed here.

Form: 3-13253

Wonderful Charm^b,t²⁷

Age: 10| Weight: 12-0| J: Mr Sam Waley-Cohen| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 132| D

8/1

Successful at Musselburgh (3m2f, soft) on seasonal debut in February but proved a disappointment when pulled up at Cheltenham subsequently. Jockey has a good record here but well beaten over these fences in the past.

Form: 120-31P

Non-Runners

Vincitore¹⁰

Weight: 12-0| Age: 12

T: Miss S Rippon J: Miss S Rippon

Forecasts

Grand Vision (7/2), Balnaslow (11/2), Barrakilla (8/1), On The Fringe (8/1), Unioniste (8/1), Wonderful Charm (8/1), Distime (14/1), Sir Jack Yeats (16/1), Eddies Miracle (16/1), Wells De Lune (16/1), Bear's Affair (20/1), Gallery Exhibition (40/1), Mon Parrain (40/1), Warden Hill (50/1), Greensalt (66/1), Never Complain (66/1), Rouge Et Blanc (66/1), Winged Crusader (66/1), Curraigflemens (66/1), Bound For Glory (100/1), Lilbitluso (100/1), Vincitore (100/1)

DISTIME has placed twice over C&D in handicap company in the past and he can put last seasons disappointment here behind him by taking a highly competitive renewal of this hunter chase. The selection has had a fairly low key build up to this race having placed twice in point-to-points and he can get the better of Balnaslow who can finish runner-up here for the second consecutive year. The booking of Jamie Codd catches the eye for Grand Vision and having won off a mark of 135 as recently as February he can finish third.