16:40 Aintree

Friday 5 April 2019

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

Doom Bar Sefton Novices' Hurdle (Grade 1)

Off time: 16:41 | Winning time: 6m 18.20s

Ardlethen³⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton| OR: 140

16/1

Winning point-to-pointer (on debut) who showed promise on his debut (fell heavily at the last). Unbeaten since the in two soft ground Uttoxeter 3m novice races; showed big improvement second time around; not out of this despite the rise in class.

Form: 1F11

Arthur Mac³³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: L Heard| T: Henry Oliver| OR: 132

50/1

Bumper winner (on debut) for Philip Hobbs before landing a couple of novice hurdles in good fashion for this yard (won with a bit in hand last time). This will be his first try at this trip ; deserves his chance but it looks a bridge too far today.

Form: 0-44121

Champ²³

Age: 7| Weight: 11-4| J: Mark Walsh| T: N J Henderson| OR: 152

9/4

Debut bumper winner who has really found his form over hurdles this season landing a variety of races including a Grade 1 novice (beat Getaway Trump) over 2m4f. Confirmed himself smart with a second in the Ballymore; first try over 3m.

Form: 2-11112

Champagne Well²⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: P J Brennan| T: F O'Brien| OR: 131

25/1

Yet to win over hurdles (disqualified from his sole victory); almost made amends on his handicap debut at Sandown (2m4f, soft) doing best of those ridden prominently. Will benefit from a return to this trip; likely to find this test too exacting.

Form: 5132D3

Dallas Des Pictons²¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: Jack Kennedy| T: G Elliott| OR: 144| BF

4/1

Progressing with every run over hurdles narrowly failing to land a hat-trick when runner-up in the Martin Pipe (beaten by a more experienced rival). Travelled powerfully through the race; deserves his chance at this level, proven at 3m.

Form: 142112

Downtown Getaway⁷⁶

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: N de Boinville| T: N J Henderson| OR: 131

8/1

Winner of a Fairyhouse bumper by 12L on his only start for his former yard (sold for £350,000 soon after). Remains an exciting prospect despite getting beaten on his hurdles debut and scraping home from Champagne Well last time; improvement to come.

Form: 1-21

Emitom³⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: G Sheehan| T: W Greatrex| OR: 144

5/1

Yet to be beaten under Rules taking his first two bumper starts; followed up with a hurdles hat-trick. Showed he can handle soft conditions although he's not as yet been tested at this trip or in this grade; exciting prospect but a little to prove.

Form: 1-1111

Kingsplace¹⁵

Age: 7| Weight: 11-4| J: Sam Twiston-Davies| T: N & W Twiston-Davies| OR: 130| BF

66/1

Warwick bumper winner on testing ground but has so far failed to record a victory over hurdles despite showing some creditable form. Runner-up in a Chepstow novice last time but a repeat of that would leave him some way short in this.

Form: 21-4522

Lisnagar Oscar²¹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: S Bowen| T: Miss R Curtis| OR: 143

11/2

Has quite quickly reached a useful level of form over hurdles progressing to land a Grade 2 Haydock 3m contest on his penultimate start. Failed to live up to that level of form in the Albert Bartlett but worth another chance on his previous form.

Form: 322115

The Captains Inn²⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 11-4| J: D A Jacob| T: B Pauling| OR: 132

33/1

Stepped forward markedly from his bumper debut when taking a Leicester novice hurdle in clear-cut fashion. Defied a penalty and a shorter price rival to follow up at Uttoxeter in testing conditions; unexposed but first try at 3m; more needed.

Form: 2-611

Trevelyn's Corn^t²⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: H Cobden| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 130

18/1

Decent prospect (cost £400,000 as a four-year-old); made a good start to his Rules career (just lacked experience). Looked a far more finished/professional article three months on when winning easily at Wincanton; useful prospect, progress needed.

Form: 1-41

Walk Away²⁹

Age: 6| Weight: 11-4| J: R M Power| T: H De Bromhead

12/1

Inexperienced Irish raider who looks an absorbing prospect; won his only point-to-point by 4L; scored on Rules debut over 2m6f (knew his job, started favourite). That was a performance of considerable promise; real staying type who must be respected.

Form: 11

Non-Runners

Go Another One⁴³

Weight: 11-4| Age: 7

T: J C McConnell J: R Johnson

Forecasts

Champ (9/4), Dallas Des Pictons (4/1), Emitom (5/1), Lisnagar Oscar (11/2), Downtown Getaway (8/1), Walk Away (12/1), Ardlethen (16/1), Trevelyn's Corn (18/1), Go Another One (20/1), Champagne Well (25/1), The Captains Inn (33/1), Arthur Mac (50/1), Kingsplace (66/1)

A race full of interest with Champ setting the standard on the back of his runner-up slot in the Ballymore at the Festival losing little caste in defeat but he still needs to prove himself over this 3m trip, he is bred for it though. DALLAS DES PICTONS is already proven over this distance and this powerful traveller looks sure to be suited by this test having looked like a Graded performer when second in the Martin Pipe. Emitom despite his unbeaten record has still to prove that he can cut it at this level with the Albert Bartlett fifth Lisnagar Oscar worth another chance on a flatter track. Plenty of “dark types” in this with Walk Away and Ardlethen topping that particular list.