14:55 Friday

Mystical Power – Top Novices' Hurdle

Eight go to post for the Top Novices Hurdle and I think MYSTICAL POWER, second in the Supreme Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham, can go one better with Slade Steel opting to be kept back for the Punchestown Festival.

He travelled like the best horse in the Supreme, looking like the winner all over before he was simply outstayed up the famous Cheltenham hill. Aintree is a flat track and it suits speed horses – I’d be quite confident that he is the quickest horse in this race.

The JP McManus runner is 2lbs clear of Supreme third Firefox on official ratings and I’m expecting him to confirm that form. The potential fly in the ointment is DYSART ENOS, who is interesting from an each way perspective with eight runners lining up.

She was forced to miss the Festival after a late setback but I’m hoping she is back to her best. She has form at the course and the Fergal O’Brien runner should be bang there at the business end of the race.

15:30 Friday

Jonbon – Melling Chase

The more I look at this race, the more I like JONBON. The issues in the Nicky Henderson yard are a concern but I’m happy to take a chance on him simply being too good for the rest of the field.

It’s a strong enough race with the likes of Conflated, Envoi Allen and Protektorat lining up but I’m hopeful that Jonbon will improve for the step up in trip. And even if he doesn’t take a step forward, his two mile form is probably good enough to win this.

He has a BHA rating of 170, making him the best horse in the race by 3lbs. The rival that concerns me the most is PIC D’ORHY – who is rated 8lbs inferior to my selection. When it comes to getting one primed for Aintree, there aren’t many better than Paul Nicholls.

A comfortable winner of this race 12 months ago, Pic D’Orhy has been super consistent over the past 18 months and he has recording a RPR in the 160s in each of his previous seven starts. He’ll run his race and Jonbon will need to be on his game to prevail.

16:40 Friday

Croke Park – Sefton Novices' Hurdle

Gordon Elliott has yet to win this race but that might be about to change as I give CROKE PARK a massive chance on Friday afternoon. A winner of the Grade 3 Monksfield Novice Hurdle at Navan in November, he failed to show up in the Lawlor’s of Naas and was lame after the race.

That wasn’t his true running and I’m hopeful that stepping up in trip will bring a fair bit of improvement out of him. He is a proper three-mile chaser in the making but he can take this prize before going novice chasing next season.

THE JUKEBOX MAN was desperately unlucky in the Albert Bartlett last month and he is certainly top of the list of dangers. He was pipped by Stellar Story, who actually only ended up running in the race after a late stone bruise forced stablemate Croke Park to miss the race.

Ben Pauling has had a great season and a Grade 1 victory at the Aintree Grand National meeting would be well deserved. For me, these are the runners to focus on.