13:57 Aintree

Sunday 25 October 2020

All12:4713:2213:5714:3215:0715:4216:17

Monet's Garden Old Roan Limited Handicap Chase (Grade 2)

Off time: 13:57 | Winning time: 5m 9.70s

Nuts Well²¹

Age: 9| Weight: 11-10| J: Danny McMenamin⁽³⁾| T: Mrs A Hamilton| OR: 155| D

18/1

Thrived last winter, producing a career best when completing hat-trick at Wetherby before good third at Doncaster final start. Better than ever when making a winning return at Kelso and worth a shot.

Form: 41113-1

Magic Saint²⁹⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-9| J: H Cobden| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 154

8/1

Shaped well in BetVictor Gold Cup at Cheltenham on return last season and beat a subsequent Grade 2 winner at Newbury next time. Found little at former track on New Year's Day, however, and off since.

Form: 0F2/517-

Itchy Feet²²⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 11-9| J: Aidan Coleman| T: O Murphy| OR: 154| D

16/5

Smart over hurdles and even better over fences last term, winning Grade 1 novice at Sandown. Let down by jumping at Cheltenham Festival final start but remains with potential and opening mark is fair.

Form: 34/411U-

Crievehill²⁴⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 11-7| J: Sam Twiston-Davies| T: N & W Twiston-Davies| OR: 152| D

25/1

Returned better than ever with wins at Wetherby and Haydock last season. However, ended that campaign on a low-key note and looks plenty high enough in the weights now.

Form: 44/1199-

Midnight Shadow²²⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 11-4| J: Sean Quinlan| T: J Parkinson & S Smith| OR: 149| CD

7/1

Grade 2 winner over hurdles/fences, landing Dipper at Cheltenham last term, albeit fortunate on the day. Creditable efforts in Grade 1s at Sandown (second to Itchy Feet) and Cheltenham Festival since.

Form: 3F2126-

Clondaw Castle²⁶⁰

Age: 8| Weight: 11-4| J: J J Burke| T: T R George| OR: 149| D

14/1

Proved better than ever when resuming winning ways at Warwick over this trip in February and ought to remain competitive after 6 lb rise remembering how well he travelled in the Arkle.

Form: 144/291-

Imperial Presence²³

Age: 9| Weight: 11-4| J: R Johnson| T: P Hobbs & J White| OR: 149| D

18/1

Completed a hat-trick over fences in 2018 and looked better than ever when winning handicaps at Stratford and Fontwell this season. Never won off a mark this high but respected all the same.

Form: 85F-711

Yorkhill²⁶⁶

Age: 10| Weight: 11-3| J: Ryan Mania| T: A M Thomson| OR: 148| CD

28/1

Winner of 4 Grade 1s in his prime but just useful form at best last season and has left Willie Mullins.

Form: U1P4FP-

Oldgrangewood²²⁷

Age: 9| Weight: 11-2| J: Harry Skelton| T: D Skelton| OR: 147| D

13/2

Benefited from undergoing wind surgery last season, winning handicaps at Newbury and Cheltenham (Grade 3). Good fourth in handicap at Cheltenham Festival final start. Needs taking seriously.

Form: 3/33114-

Vision Des Flos^t²²⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 11-0| J: R M Power| T: C L Tizzard| OR: 145WS

5/1

Smart hurdler but didn't really convince over fences last season. Potentially on a handy mark on hurdles form but others more soild. Has had another breathing operation.

Form: 635160-

Annie Mc²²⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 10-13| J: Jonjo O'Neill Jr.| T: J & A O'Neill| OR: 144| D

17/2

Progressive sort who won first 3 starts over fences last season. Found Grade 1 company too much at the Cheltenham Festival since but should make much more of an impact here.

Form: 1/41119-

Cracking Destiny²¹

Age: 7| Weight: 10-7| J: Callum Bewley| T: A C Whillans| OR: 138| BF| D

16/1

Likeable type who proved better than ever when scoring at Perth last month, jumping fluently and typically travelling strongly. However, only fourth at Kelso 3 weeks ago and this much tougher.

Form: 1-U4214

Non-Runners

Really Super³⁸

Weight: 10-6| Age: 6

T: Miss A Murphy J: Non Runner

Forecasts

Itchy Feet (16/5), Vision Des Flos (5/1), Oldgrangewood (13/2), Midnight Shadow (7/1), Magic Saint (8/1), Annie Mc (17/2), Clondaw Castle (14/1), Cracking Destiny (16/1), Nuts Well (18/1), Imperial Presence (18/1), Crievehill (25/1), Really Super (25/1), Yorkhill (28/1)

ITCHY FEET was let down by his jumping when one of the market leaders for the Marsh at the Cheltenham Festival, but he'd coped well with the demands of Sandown's fences when winning the Scilly Isles and his opening mark looks a fair one for a Grade 1 winner. Midnight Shadow was runner-up to the selection at Sandown and is 5 lb better off now, so rates the main threat ahead of Oldgrangewood.