Neil Morrice shares all of his best bets and tips for Thursday’s racing coming your way from day 2 of the 2023 Aintree Festival on 14 April 2023.
AINTREE FESTIVAL DAY 2
Race 1 AIR CHARTER SERVICE MILDMAY NOVICES’ CHASE (Grade 1)
No2 COMPLETE UNKNOWN
Trainer: Paul Nicholls – Jockey: Harry Cobden
Paul Nicholls deserves a quick change of luck following Bravemansgame’s enforced withdrawal from the Bowl yesterday, and it can come via COMPLETE UNKNOWN. The selection has a score to settle with GALIA DES LITEAUX from Warwick earlier in the season, but has progressed subsequently to completely dominate a Kempton handicap chase to make his figures two from three since his switch to fences.
GERRI COLOMBE went down by a whisker to The Real Whacker in the Brown Advisory at Cheltenham in spite of a series of jumping errors. He won’t be able to get away with that on a course that takes a bit of jumping, and BRONN looks the best chance of an Irish success.
Prediction: 1st COMPLETE UNKNOWN, 2nd Bronn, 3rd Gerri Colombe
Race 2 WILLIAM HILL HANDICAP HURDLE
No3 CAMPROND (Each Way)
Trainer: Philip Hobbs – Jockey: Aidan Coleman
CAMPROND valiantly failed to hold Langer Dan in the Coral Cup after jumping beautifully from the front and looking the likely winner turning in. While his best form is in the soft he has two successes to his name on good ground, and remains fairly handicapped in what could be his trainer’s final Aintree under full ownership of the licence.
GOOD RISK AT ALL never looked like winning that race, but to his credit stayed on to finish just out of the money after the birds had flown. He’s more than capable of raising his game and is better than the form indicates.
NO ORDINARY JOE attracted each-way support before finding only Iroko his master in the Martin Pipe, and though inconsistent is another with plenty of ability when in the mood. PLAYFUL SAINT ran a cracker to take away a cheque in the Imperial Cup and having skipped Cheltenham is fresher than most, while a roughie that could get into the shake-up is HARBOUR LAKE, an eye-catcher when in the money on his latest start at Kempton.
Prediction: 1st CAMPROND, 2nd Good Risk At All, 3rd No Ordinary Joe, 4th Playful Saint, 5th Harbour Lake
Race 3 POUNDLAND TOP NOVICES’ HURDLE (Grade 1)
No14 LUCCIA
Trainer: Nicky Henderson – Jockey: Nico de Boinville
LUCCIA fluffed her lines in the mares’ novices hurdle at Cheltenham to surrender an impressive unbeaten record, but on this easier track and better ground she can bounce back to repeat Jonbon’s triumph in the same race 12 months ago.
HANSARD is a very interesting foe granted the good form of Gary Moore’s stable and the fact that he’s highly regarded and back from a six-week break. His winning sequence ended with defeat at Kempton’s trials meeting but he’s better than the bare form indicates and works as well as anything in the yard. He’s definitely one worth a market check.
FOUND A FIFTY will rival LUCCIA for favouritism and looks the strongest from the Irish contingent. He made a race of it with Corbetts Cross in a Grade 2 at Naas, skipped Cheltenham and has plenty of scope for progression. That run was boosted even though Corbetts Cross ran out at the Festival, because without that final furlong blip he might have won.
Another Irish challenger who should be respected is NO LOOKING BACK, a winner of a bumper and two hurdles, including the Grade 2 Kew Gardens at Limerick.
Prediction: 1st Luccia, 2nd Hansard, 3rd Found A Fifty, 4th No Looking Back
Race 4 MARSH CHASE (Grade 1)
No1 FAKIR D’OUDAIRIES (Nap)
Trainer: Joseph O’Brien – Jockey: Mark Walsh
Paul Nicholls fires a powerful twin assault on the race that used to be known as the Melling Chase via PIC D’ORHY and HITMAN. The former is a much better jumper than in his novice days, and apart from finding Shishkin his master in the Ascot Chase ran up an unblemished three race winning sequence beforehand.
Hitman put in a cracking run to finish third in the Ryanair Chase but I doubt he can turn the tables with FAKIR D’OUDAIRIES from this race last year. On that occasion ‘Fakir’ came back from a wind operation to power away on the run in to make it two successes in the contest from as many tries. With his undoubted preference for the Mildmay course and fences he looks the most reliable choice, even though he underperformed in the Ascot Chase. Joseph O’Brien has freshened him up for this, his target all along.
Prediction: 1st FAKIR D’OUDAIRIES, 2nd Pic D’Orhy, 3rd Hitman
Race 5 RANDOX SUPPORTS RACE AGAINST DEMENTIA TOPHAM HANDICAP CHASE
No9 EPSON DU HOUX (Each Way)
Trainer: Henry de Bromhead – Jockey: Shane Fitzgerald
A clutch of horses that ran well in defeat at Cheltenham can lead them home in this historic race over the National fences that remembers a long-time owner of the course, led by EPSON DU HOUX, who was having just a third start of the season when sixth to Maskada in the Grand Annual. His overall form is most impressive, and he can deliver a poignant triumph for Henry de Bromhead.
HAUT EN COULEURS finished just out of the money behind Seddon in the Plate and has enjoyed a campaign similarly geared to this meeting, while although support for FANTASTIKAS went astray in the Ultima Chase he looks very well handicapped, and will appreciate stepping back on the distance ladder.
CIEL DE NEIGE has definitely had his light hidden under a bushel and this JP McManus-owned eight-year-old also needs respecting, especially if he is backed. GESSKILLE has a good record at this course, finding only Ashton Lad his master in the Becher Chase back in early December.
Prediction: 1st EPSON DU HOUX, 2nd Ciel De Neige, 3rd Haut En Couleurs, 4th Fantastikas, 5th Gesskille
Race 6 WINNERS WEAR CAVANI SEFTON NOVICES’ HURDLE (Grade 1)
No13 STAY AWAY FAY
Trainer: Paul Nicholls – Jockey: Harry Cobden
Albert Bartlett hero STAY AWAY FAY might have had a hard race in taking out that prize, but it was only a fourth career start for the gelding, who will not be an 18-1 roughie today. IROKO had been cleverly campaigned prior to his storming triumph in the Martin Pipe and could well have more to offer from his revised mark.
GREY DAWNING has only met defeat once in six career starts, and though that happened here, it would be no surprise to see him put the record straight as he’s fresher than the others at the head of the market. BLENKINSOP made a nonsense of his mark in a four-race winning stretch and has been kept under wraps since the latest at Newbury. My only concern is the slight dip in form of his trainer.
Prediction: 1st STAY AWAY FAY, 2nd Iroko, 3rd Grey Dawning, 4th Blenkinsop
Race 7 ABERSOCH LAND AND SEA CONDITIONAL JOCKEYS HANDICAP HURDLE
No7 JPR ONE (Each Way)
Trainer: Joe Tizzard – Jockey: Harry Kimber
Any horse from the Tony Martin yard requires close scrutiny in a handicap, which is why NIBIRU needs watching in market exchanges. BLUEKING D’OROUX looked a different horse carting a big weight to victory at Ascot on a first start since a wind op. He skipped a good opportunity at Plumpton to wait for this, and is highly regarded at Ditcheat.
KNICKERBOCKERGLORY almost stole the Imperial Cup in a canny ride from the front and is going to enjoy this easier track, while prolific scorer SOUL ICON is chasing a sixth success from as many starts this season.
Better value than any of the above is JPR ONE, a decent novice two years ago who returned from a year off to score a shade snugly at Taunton, and who could have a fair bit more to offer.
Prediction: 1st JPR ONE, 2nd Blueking D’OROUX, 3rd Knickerbockerglory, 4th Nibiru, 5th Soul Icon
LEICESTER
Race 6 No8 PARTY ISLAND (Each Way)
Trainer: Denis Coakley – Jockey: George Bass
PARTY ISLAND should be fitter for his underwhelming run at Kempton last month, his first start in five months. The chestnut can give us a good run for our money at a double-figure price.
Race 7 No3 HIROMICHI
Trainer: Jack Channon – Jockey: Charles Bishop
HIROMICHI looked good value for his Lingfield success. The grey did us a good turn that day, and can follow-up from his 3lb higher mark.
SEDGEFIELD
Race 3 No4 THUNDERCLAP
Trainer: Hughie Morrison – Jockey: David Bass
I can’t remember the last time Morrison saddled a runner at this course, which augurs well for THUNDERCLAP, who after a good run in defeat at Huntingdon has skipped two opportunities to wait for this.
Race 6 No8 VENTONCALL
Trainer: Alan Jones – Jockey: Rex Dingle
VENTONCALL doesn’t have many racing miles on his clock and acts well on a sharp, left-handed track like this. He goes well on better ground, and should go one better than for his recent Fakenham defeat.
SOUTHWELL
Race 3 No1 OBAMA ARMY (Each Way)
Trainer: Jack Channon – Jockey: Charlie Bennett
OBSMA ARMY showed only a modicum of ability in his juvenile season but is a stronger proposition after his winter solstice. He has no easy task giving away weight, but is more likely than most to have progressed.
Race 6 No5 TASEVER (Nap)
Trainer: Tim Easterby – Jockey: David Allan
TASEVER takes an experience edge into this first leg of the maiden which can help him outpoint Banquo. He earned on each of his last three 2022 outings, meeting good horses like Project Black and Ferrous. That’s the best form on offer and he can convert.
