Foxhunters Open Hunters Chase

Winged Leader

David Christie’s WINGED LEADER is a bit of a winning machine and was narrowly denied Cheltenham Festival glory last year, where he looked to have beaten a good field in the St. James’s Place Festival Challenge Cup Open Hunters’ Chase when clear jumping the last, only to be caught in the shadows of the post by hot favourite Billaway when his stamina reached its limit. 

He was due to gain compensation in this race, the Foxhunters Chase, last year, but connections decided to wait another season and he will arrive a fresh horse having bypassed Cheltenham this year. The nine-year-old hasn’t been seen under rules since his narrow defeat at Cheltenham but has cleaned up in three point-to-points this year. 

All of those wins were over three miles but the shorter trip at Aintree should really suit and he’s a very assured jumper, who should take to the fences. He has only tasted defeat once in nearly two years and it seems like this race has been the plan for a while. With more to come, coupled with the best form into the race, he could be extremely hard to beat. 

Topham Handicap Chase

Now Where Or When 

This year’s Topham Handicap Chase could be a belter, as plenty of these can be given a chance, but the one horse I like the claims of is the Stuart Crawford-trained NOW WHERE OR WHEN, whose lack of experience of this course isn’t a concern and he arrives on the back of a good third in a Grade 3 when last spotted. 

The eight-year-old made former multiple Grade 1 winner Kemboy work hard last time and did well to finish as close as he did, as he split horses rated 145+ in that race in third. On that basis, he is well-treated off 141 here plus the form has worked out well with Longhouse Poet, who failed to finish before winning a good-quality race and is Grand National bound for the second consecutive year. 

Previously, he ran a good race to finish sixth of 23 in the Grade A Bulmers Leopardstown Handicap Chase at Leopardstown, where he came from off the pace to be nearest the finish and he remains unexposed over fences with plenty more to offer. 

He also holds an entry in the Irish Grand National but this race looks more suitable and he makes plenty of appeal at nice odds with the form in the book to go well should he take to the course.

Aintree Bowl Chase

Conflated 

The Aintree Bowl Chase could be one of the races of the meeting and I think Gordon Elliott’s CONFLATED has an excellent chance to go one place better than last year’s second after running a blinder to finish third in the Cheltenham Gold Cup. The nine-year-old held an entry in the Grand National, where he was reported to be “one of the best-handicapped horses in the race”.

However, Gigginstown House Stud are preferring to wait another year in favour of another attempt at the opening day three-mile Grade 1. He was only beaten a length into second to Clan Des Obeaux 12 months ago, where he did well to keep on strongly and reduce the deficit on the winner on the run-in after taking a heavy tumble at Cheltenham only a month before. 

His performance can be marked up considerably, as the winner arrived a fresher horse of the pair, and his latest third in the Cheltenham Gold Cup was a new personal best in my opinion, as he would have finished even closer to the front two without being hampered early on and short of room when trying to mount a challenge. He is surely a major player.