Neil Morrice shares all of his best bets and tips for Friday’s racing coming your way from day two of the 2024 Aintree Festival.
AINTREE BEST BETS FRIDAY DAY 2
Race 1 HUYTON ASPHALT FRANNY BIENNERHASSET MEMORIAL MILDMAY NOVICES’ CHASE (Grade 1)
No2 CHIANTI CLASSICO
Trainer: Kim Bailey – Jockey: David Bass
A sizzling opener can see Cheltenham Festival scorers CHIANTI CLASSICO and INOTHEWAYURTHINKIN fight out the finish. Both delivered in handicaps and in contrasting manner, with Chianti Classico making all in the Ultima and Inothewayurthinkin coming from almost last to first in the Fulke Walwyn/Kim Muir. It will help the selection if he isn’t taken on for the lead, and if getting an early foothold his jumping can stand him in good stead over the Mildmay fences, which need respecting. Inothewayurthinkin is carded to finish off his race strongly and that comment also applies to Iroko, who after a long lay off put in a solid run when just out of the money in the Turners Novices’ Chase at the Festival.
Prediction: 1st CHIANTO CLASSICO, 2nd Inothewayurthinkin, 3rd Iroko
Race 2 WILLIAM HILL HANDICAP HURDLE
No21 INTHEWATERSIDE (Each Way)
Trainer: Paul Nicholls – Jockey: Harry Cobden
I fancy novices to do well in this hotly contested affair, and the one that takes the eye in the bowels of the weights is INTHEWATERSIDE. The six-year-old was unbeaten in bumpers and made a solid enough start to his jumps career when a narrow scorer over Jaguar at this course in the autum. He then underwhelmed at Ascot but won easily at Lingfield. Back at Ascot for his latest start, he made a good fist of it against Pic Roc and is starting to show reasons why he cost owners the McNeill family a king’s ransom.
CHAMPAGNE TWIST is virtually the same horse as the selection on a line through Pic Roc won he beat in an all-Pauling finish to the EBF Final at Sandown. He’s a very interesting runner and it was a coin toss to separate them, but Inthewaterside could be a horse who helps propel Nicholls to another trainers’ title.
Prediction: 1st INTHEWATERSIDE, 2nd Champagne Twist, 3rd Theatre Man, 4th Making Headway, 5th Boombawn
Race 3 TRUSTATRADER TOP NOVICES’ HURDLE (Grade 1)
No8 GOLDEN ACE (Each Way)
Trainer: Jeremy Scott – Jockey: Lorcan Williams
Irish horses dominate the front of the market for Aintree’s version of the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle. MYSTICAL POWER fared better than FIREFOX in that race and should confirm his superiority. It was a first defeat for the first-named horse who has a great chance to bounce back.
DYSART ENOS was a late defector from the mares’ race at Cheltenham which saw GOLDEN ACE put her best foot forward to score with much authority. She did us a favour at the same time, and although carded to start fourth or fifth in the betting is strongly fancied to show there was no fluke about the victory. Everything is right for another big showing from a horse who has become the pride of the West Country.
Prediction: 1st GOLDEN ACE, 2nd Mystical Power, 3rd Dysart Enos
Race 4 MY PENSION EXPERT MELLING CHASE (Grade 1)
No6 PIC D’ORHY
Trainer: Paul Nicholls – Jockey: Harry Cobden
Jonbon blotted his copybook with some slipshod jumping when last seen on trials day at Cheltenham in late January, a performance that brought to an end a four-race winning streak for the former champion novice. Having bypassed Cheltenham because of a health issue with some of the Seven Barrows team, the JP McManus-owned gelding is now on a retrieval mission. PROTEKTORAT put in a career best to land the Ryanair Chase where he outstayed ENVOI ALLEN. The nine-year-old enjoys getting his feet into the ground and should make a good fist of going back-to-back.
CONFLATED was a place behind in third on what was the best run of the season from Gordon Elliott’s charge. He should also claim a cheque but the one I like is PIC D’ORHY who showed a liking for this course when successful in this race 12 months ago. Fresh from a dominating display in the Ascot Chase this much-improved individual can help steer Paul Nicholls to another trainers’ title.
Prediction: 1st PIC D’ORHY, 2nd Jonbon, 3rd Conflated, 4th Protektorat
Race 5 RANDOX SUPPORTS RACE AGAINST DEMENTIA TOPHAM HANDICAP CHASE
No3 SHAKEM UP’ARRY (Each Way)
Trainer: Ben Pauling – Jockey: Ben Jones
SHAKEM UP’ARRY brought the house down with his majestic jumping display to win The Plate at the Festival, with owner Harry Redknapp mobbed by the Press in the winner’s circle. He and Ben Pauling have faced a dilemma of whether to run the ten-year-old in this race or the National. Four and a half miles in the soft would have been a big ask for this horse, and with his failure to meet the cut in the big one he now finds himself in a more perfect scenario. Two and a half miles over these inviting fences is what the horse was made for, while Pauling says he’s come out of Cheltenham in a way you could only dream of, stating that the Topham is a big race in its own right. Ben Jones, in the saddle for his last two outings is back in the hot seat.
Ironically it could be another from his stable, YOUR DARLING, who poses the selection most problems. The strong traveller has been intentionally cotton-wooled by his trainer since scoring at Ascot in November. He’s a fresh horse and figures to get into the argument under Kielan Woods.
EMPIRE STEEL has suffered from breathing issues and now returns after a second wind operation. With few miles n his racing clock he could claim a slice of the cake, while last year’s winner BILL BAXTER needs consideration after being laid out for the contest. At longer odds, Henry Daly’s LOUNGE LIZARD could also challenge.
Prediction: 1st SHAKEM UP’ARRY, 2nd Your Darling, 3rd Empire Steel, 4th Bill Baxter, 5th Lounge Lizard
Race 6 CAVANI SARTORIAL MENSWEAR SEFTON NOVICES’ HURDLE (Grade 1)
No7 THE JUKEBOX MAN (Nap)
Trainer: Ben Pauling – Jockey: Kielan Woods
THE JUKEBOX MAN proved a heartbreak horse when boldly attempting to make all only to be reeled-in a few strides from the line in the Albert Bartlett at Cheltenham. The run backed-up Pauling’s high opinion of the six-year-old who might not be caught this time. He’s in great form, has taken those exertions in his stride and should prove hard to beat.
DANCING CITY finished seven and a quarter lengths behind the winner of that race Stellar Story and has work to do with my Nap on the book. But as a convincing winner of his previous two starts, the Willie Mullins-trained chestnut should again challenge.
CHERIE D’AM is among two distaffers trying to stop the boys and has a shot at achieving it for Dan Skelton, taking stock of the fact she’s going to relish an extra half mile and has been backed in each of her five starts under Rules, winning a bumper, a novice and a handicap hurdle.
Prediction: 1st THE JUKEBOX MAN, 2nd Dancing City, 3rd Cherie D’Am
Race 7 ALDER HEY HANDICAP HURDLE
No16 SKYCUTTER (Each Way)
Trainer: Dan Skelton – Jockey: Tristan Durrell
From a yard that excels with its runners in the major handicap hurdles, SKYCUTTER is a bet I’m looking forward to. In a select campaign and in his first season with the Skeltons he’s earned in each of his four outings. He was very impressive at Carlisle in early February and when moved up to Class 2 ran a cracker to finish third to Cracking Rhapsody at Kelso. He didn’t quite enjoy the rub of the green on that occasion but should be suited by this course and the ground. He strikes me as a horse that has more to give.
One that reeks of a plot is MAIDENSTREETPRINCE whose connections are well-schooled in the art of landing a touch. He’s been given the kid glove treatment with just two outings this year for Charles Byrnes, and needs respecting.
GO DANTE is two from four for Olly Murphy and bids to follow-up a dramatic victory in Sandown’s Imperial Cup. He could easily get into the shake-up, while the novice EAGLES REIGN is lightly-raced, unexposed and adds lustre to the Irish challenge on this race.
Prediction: 1st SKYCUTTER, 2nd Maidenstreetprince, 3rd Go Dante, 4th Eagles Reign
