Today's Tote Placepot Tips for Aintree

We are back over the jumps for today’s column where a minimum of £250,000 will be in the fund for today’s Placepot pool at Aintree and I have put together a recommended perm with tips for each of the first six races for you. As always, best of luck!

Leg 1 Selections: Grey Dawning, Henry’s Friend

Dan Skelton’s GREY DAWNING beat a decent sort in his debut in a bumper at Wetherby and then followed up back at the same venue in March. He should be fine over this longer distance and his trainer has won two of the last five renewals of this race, so he’ll be popular with punters no doubt. Ben Pauling’s HENRY’S FRIEND only won a minor event over C&D in May but he was impressive in beating his rivals and should make a bold effort to remain unbeaten despite carrying a six pound penalty here. 

Leg 2 Selections: Gericault Roque 

David Pipe has two runners in this valuable race but the fact that Tom Scudamore has opted to ride GERICAULT ROQUE over Remastered should be noted. Tom also could have ridden Red Happy in the Badger Beer at Wincanton but has decided to come here instead. This six-year-old has yet to finish out of the frame in all career starts and produced some excellent efforts in defeat over fences last season, including when second in the Classic Chase at Warwick before filling the same spot when second of 24 in the Ultima Handicap Chase at Cheltenham. He’s had a wind operation since and had won two of his three hurdle starts earlier in his career, so with loads more to offer this term, he’s got a huge chance on his reappearance. 

Leg 3 Selections: Ree Okka

REE OKKA has a great chance to make a successful chase debut here. Harry Fry’s charge was second on his rules debut at this meeting last year behind Gelino Bello and then gave weight and a beating to the useful Complete Unknown, who went and won a Grade Three last year to boost the form. He then followed up at Kempton next time and while he could only finish seventh of 17 when sent off favourite for a Grade Three on his final start, it wasn’t a bad effort, and he’s a previous point winner, so chasing should be his game. An opening mark of 128 has definitely underestimated him and he can open his account at the first time of asking here. 

Leg 4 Selections: Al Dancer

I don’t think this is a strong renewal of the Grand Sefton and if AL DANCER takes to the unique course, he could outclass these off a mark that’s extremely lenient given his previous exploits. Sam Thomas has made a bright start to the campaign and this talented nine-year-old has a good record fresh. Besides his return last year, his form figures first-time-out reads 2111 and his last campaign concluded with two placed efforts, including when narrowly denied by Lalor when last spotted at Newbury under Charlie Deutsch. The assessor has only put him up a pound as a result and any arrival of rain won’t do him any harm either. He’s Sam Thomas’ only runner of the day this distance should suit, while he’s prone to being a good operator over his obstacles, it’s possible these fences will suit him nicely indeed. I think he’s got an outstanding chance of at least making the frame here. 

Leg 5 Selections: Dashel Drasher, Langer Dan 

DASHEL DRASHER is the only Grade 1 winner in the field and the last time he ran in this sphere, he beat Beauport, who’s subsequently won a hot race on his chase debut. He goes well fresh and should get a soft lead here, so he should be tough to pass. LANGER DAN was second to Galopin des Champs in the 2021 Martin Pipe and was last seen winning a valuable Grade Three event over C&D in April. He should have plenty more to come this season and is a big player here. 
 

Leg 6 Selections: Sao

The eight-year-old SAO doesn’t win all that often but he returned from a similar layoff to finish runner-up in this race twelve months ago off a five pounds higher mark in which he had Gunsight Ridge held in third. In addition, he meets that same rival on even better terms this time around and returned to form with a good third last-time-out. He should get a nice pace to aim at and is three pounds below his last winning mark, so he has every chance of going one place better than last year.