Sporting Life Tips

SUNDAY'S SELECTIONS:

AINTREE: 12.05 Sitting Tennant, 12.35 Frankie Figg, 1.10 Dancing Dik, 1.45 IRISH RAPTOR (NAP), 2.20 Justwhateverulike, 2.55 Shadow Dancer.

MUSSELBURGH: 12.15 Just For Jean, 12.50 All For The Cause, 1.25 Tazbar, 2.00 Mesbaah, 2.35 Always Bold, 3.10 Categorical, 3.40 Kilbrannish Hill.

NAVAN: 12.20 Sword Fish, 12.55 Judge Roy Bean, 1.30 Cadspeed, 2.05 Danny's Vic, 2.35 Treacle, 3.05 Sports Line, 3.35 Killultagh Queen.

TOWCESTER: 12.25 Furze Hill, 1.00 My Les, 1.35 Master Overseer, 2.10 Hareem, 2.45 Love Of Tara, 3.20 Satindra, 3.50 She's On The Case.

DOUBLE: Irish Raptor and Frankie Figg.

The Grand National fences get their first airing of the season at Aintree, where Irish Raptor ticks the right boxes for the totesport.com Becher Chase.

Nigel Twiston-Davies' gelding has looked at home over the daunting obstacles in the past, winning the Topham Chase in April.

The 10-year-old had a pipe-opener this season to warm him up for this contest and caught the eye finishing a fine fourth - despite looking as though in need of the run.

His stamina is unlikely to last out come the big marathon in April, but he has won over three and a quarter miles in the past and this looks an ideal opportunity.

The totesuper7 Grand Sefton Handicap Chase is usually a fast-and-furious affair over the big fences, and Frankie Figg appears to have the right combination of speed and stamina.

The seven-year-old came to grief when tried on this track in the Topham, but his recent reappearance at Aintree gives hope he can make amends.

Howard Johnson's charge put in an excellent round of jumping to win by eight lengths on the Mildmay course in October.

Granted an easy time up front, he could take some pegging back.

The McCain family may be better known for their exploits at Aintree, but Donald jnr's best chance of a winner on Sunday could come courtesy of Always Bold in the Racing UK Horseracing In Your Home Novices' Hurdle at Musselburgh.

The four-year-old won two hurdle races in the summer before running with credit on the Flat, and was not disgraced over further in two recent starts over timber.

Likely to relish this drop in distance, he can defy a welter burden.

Categorical will never be considered a prolific winner, but with one success and three seconds from four National Hunt starts at Musselburgh, he is well worth a second look in the totetrifecta Handicap Chase.

The six-year-old has collected just three times from 47 starts in all disciplines, but has always run well at this venue.

After finishing a solid third at Haydock last time, he could go two better.

Soft ground and the gruelling Towcester hill will make sure stamina is the key in the David & Sharon King Amaryllis Mares' Novices' Hurdle, for which Love Of Tara fits the bill.

Martin Keighley's charge won over three miles at Exeter last month, before plugging on for second at this shorter trip at Plumpton last time.

She has a penalty to defy, but this stiff track should prove ideal for the seven-year-old.