13:15 Aintree

The Ben Pauling trained DENSWORTH (best priced at 10/3) has clearly had issues with only nine starts under rules but he has always looked the type to make a chaser. The seven-year-old has a good record fresh with victories after 323, 210 and 58 day breaks so the fact this is his reappearance after 198 days off the track is no concern.

Densworth looked a horse to follow when a sixteen length winner at Doncaster off a mark of 120 before disappointing at Aintree at the Grand National meeting. A mark of 130 may still underestimate him and he looks the horse with the most potential in the field.

13:50 Aintree

A few Paul Nicholls trained runners have been needing their first runs of the season but STAGE STAR (best priced at 11/8) will have been well trained ahead of this contest like his stablemate Rubaud was at Kempton for a valuable pot. The eight-year-old was an impressive winner of the Paddy Power Handicap chase last season off a mark of 155 when victorious by four lengths despite making a bad mistake at the final fence.

With his rating of 163, Stage Star forces both Minella Drama and Unexpected Part out of the weights and he should make another winning seasonal reappearance.

15:35 Aintree

Both Kamsinas and Cruz Control will be prepping for bigger targets in this handicap hurdle so preference goes to LONG DRAW (best priced at 4/1) who is fit from his two runs already this season. The Olly Murphy stable remain in good form operating at a 31% strike rate in the past two weeks and Long Draw should be able to take advantage of his fitness edge in this race.

Long Draw has finished 2nd on both of his starts this season at Worcester and Warwick but it was a career best to finish only 1 ¾ lengths behind Guard The Moon last time off a mark of 112 with the pair pulling 27 lengths clear of the third. Off only a 3lb higher mark he should prove hard to beat under Sean Bowen.