Neil Morrice shares all of his best bets and tips for Saturday’s racing coming your way from day 3 of the 2023 Aintree Festival on 15 April 2023 as well as the best of the rest from Newcastle, Yarmouth and Wolverhampton.
AINTREE FESTIVAL – DAY 3
Race 1 EFT SYSTEMS MAGHULL NOVICES’ CHASE (Grade 1)
No4 JONBON
Trainer: Nicky Henderson – Jockey: Aidan Coleman
With Thursday’s winner Banbridge an almost certain non-runner, this could have become a penalty kick for JONBON. The JP McManus-owned gelding bowed to the top-class El Fabiolo in the Arkle but faces nothing of that magnitude and should see off Turners Chase runner-up NOTLONGTILLMAY with CALICO booked for minor honours.
Prediction: 1st JONBON, 2nd Notlongtillmay, 3rd Calico
Race 2 VILLAGE HOTELS HANDICAP HURDLE
No7 MILL GREEN (Each Way)
Trainer: Nicky Henderson – Jockey: Nico de Boinville
MILL GREEN jumped and travelled beautifully in the Pertemps Final and only succumbed to Good Time Jonny on the uphill climb to the finish. That was only a second outing of the season for the veteran who makes abundant appeal and looks one of the best handicap betting options of the week.
Dual purpose horse ERNE RIVER returns to handicap company following a short break since his underwhelming effort in a Grade 2 at Haydock. The former winning pointer was a smart novice and an even smarter one over fences and yet is hard to weigh up. While he’s not obviously well-treated I suspect he can perform better than his price indicates he will.
MEXICO ran his rivals ragged at Uttoxeter on the first day of the month after facing some stiff tasks previously. With that confidence builder under his belt he appeals as a lively roughie for trainer Stuart Edmunds.
The Skeltons do well in these races and have a serious candidate in the lightly-raced WEST BALBOA, who failed by the length of a well-smoked cigarette against Red Risk in the Lanzarote. He has also been freshened-up. AN TAILLEUR ran better than his final placing indicates in the Pertemps and needs tracking for market support.
Prediction: 1st MILL GREEN, 2nd Erne River, 3rd Mexico, 4th West Balboa, 5th An Tailleur
Race 3 TURNERS MERSEY NOVICES’ HURDLE (Grade 1)
No15 YOU WEAR IT WELL
Trainer: Jamie Snowden – Jockey: Gavin Sheehan
Rod Stewart would fit in well with the Merseyside fashionistas and it would be appropriate if the horse named after one of his UK number 1s took the spoils. Enter YOU WEAR IT WELL. The Midnight Legend mare outstayed her foes in the mares’ novices’ hurdle at Cheltenham to come home unchallenged.
Her trainer would not be bringing her here unless he felt she had taken those exertions well, and I fancy her to make it an all UK finish by resisting AUTHORIZED SPEED and SPRINGWELL BAY. The former looks like he wants this longer distance, and has a good chance of avenging Bo Zenith’s paper-thin defeat here on Thursday for Gary and Jamie Moore. Springwell Bay takes a step up the class ladder for Jonjo O’Neill and is a joker in the pack in the sense that we don’t know how good he is.
HERMES ALLEN needs to do a repair job after finishing out of the money in the Ballymore while CRAMBO is yet another from the home team that could figure following his EBF Final triumph at Sandown.
Prediction: 1st YOU WEAR IT WELL, 2nd Authorized Speed, 3rd Springwell Bay, 4th Hermes Allen, 5th Crambo
Race 4 JRL GROUP LIVERPOOL HURDLE (Grade 1)
No3 DASHEL DRASHER (Each Way)
Trainer: Jeremy Scott – Jockey: Rex Dingle
DASHEL DRASHER has three-quarters of a length to find with SIRE DU BERLAIS from the Stayers’ Hurdle after which the Cheltenham Stewards’ decision to demote him a place into third was overturned on appeal.
There are few more popular jumpers in training than the West Country challenger, who landed a Class 2 hurdle here on his seasonal reappearance and finished runner-up to Noble Yeats in the Many Clouds Chase in early December. In a race that should see a strong pace throughout, he can shake off the attentions of FLOORING PORTER who hasn’t looked quite the same force as last year in three outings this season.
CHAMP has to be respected returning from a mid season break for a Nicky Henderson yard firmly amongst the winners, while Sire Du Berlais needs to show his Festival success wasn’t a fluke if he’s to post back-to-back triumphs in this.
Prediction: 1st DASHEL DRASHER, 2nd Flooring Porter, 3rd Champ, 4th Sire Du Berlais
Race 5 WILLIAM HILL HANDICAP CHASE
No7 SHAKEM UP’ARRY (Each Way)
Trainer: Ben Pauling – Jockey: Luca Morgan
SHAKEM UP’ARRY is proving a credit to his owner Harry Redknapp, and a success for the bold jumping gelding on this first attempt at three miles would be fully deserved. While most of his racing has been confined to Cheltenham where he finished an honourable third in the Plate, he ran well on this track when placed in the Red Rum last season, and he promises to be even better as he stretches out. It wouldn’t surprise me if he doesn’t ply his trade in the Grand National one day.
BEAUPORT did too much on a first outing over three miles-plus when out of the money in the Kim Muir, racing five wide while in contention and taking a keen hold. Bang there three out, his petrol gage was soon flashing red and he was a spent force at the bottom of the hill. He’s back to a more suitable distance here, and should give a good account even though the rain his owners are hoping for is unlikely to materialise.
ELDORADO ALLEN brings a touch of class to the table in what is his first run in a handicap since the November of 2021. The grey couldn’t hold a candle to Galopin Des Champs in the Gold Cup but it would be dangerous to dismiss him in these calmer waters.
If there’s one that might be better than he’s shown this season it’s BOWTOGREATNESS, a stablemate of my main pick who wasn’t entirely disgraced behind Seddon in the Ultima Chase at the Festival.
Prediction: 1st SHAKEM UP’ARRY, 2nd Beauport, 3rd Eldorado Allen, 4th Bowtogreatness
Race 6 RANDOX GRAND NATIONAL HANDICAP CHASE
No35 OUR POWER (Each Way)
Trainer: Sam Thomas – Jockey: Sam Twiston-Davies
It’s very short odds about the most spectacular single race in the world being won by a horse trained in Ireland, and while I wish good luck to the overseas challengers they could find OUR POWER a thorn in their sides. The eight-year-old has enjoyed a perfect build-up to the race with his successes at Ascot and Kempton, and all credit to his connections for resisting the temptation to run him at Cheltenham. After Kempton his jockey was vociferous about him taking his chance in the National, and with that dream realised he now has a solid chance of turning it into winning reality.
CORACH RAMBLER has been heavily supported for this ever since his come-from-behind victory in the Ultima Chase in which he dossed after hitting the front. Derek Fox has overcome an injury scare to resume his partnership with Lucinda Russell’s charge, who will not want to hit the front too soon.
In the same ownership, the trio of COKO BEACH, DELTA WORK and FURY ROAD could also get into the argument. Coko Beach is a particularly good jumper who finished a very respectful eight to Noble Yeats in the corresponding race 12 months ago. The grey comes into bat off a select campaign, and though not obviously well handicapped has strong claims to be involved. Delta Work is the cross-country king whose third in the 2022 National stamps him as a horse that’s tried and tested over the course and fences. He has a touch of class about him, and could easily start favourite for Gordon Elliott.
GALVIN would be the most poignant of winners granted he is Davy Russell’s final National ride, but he has it to do with Delta Work on Glenfarclas Chase placings. FURY ROAD has been running with credit in Grade 1 chases and is overpriced for his first race over the famous fences. If taking to it the Gigginstown gelding can prove a force, while at massive odds DUNBOYNE is dark, and needs including in the mix.
Prediction: 1st OUR POWER, 2nd Coko Beach, 3rd Delta Work, 4th Fury Road, 5th Galvin, 6th Dunboyne, 7th Corach Rambler
Race 7 WEATHERBYS NHSTALLIONS.CO.UK STANDARD OPEN NH FLAT RACE
No13 POUR LES FILLES
Trainer: Gordon Elliott – Jockey: Davy Russell
This is a very hard race for punters to jump out of jail in, but given it’s his final Aintree ride Davy Russell could be the go-to bet aboard unbeaten POUR DES FILLES. As we saw in the mares’ bumper on Thursday plenty of high reputations can be shot down but the selection was a game scorer on debut at Leopardstown.
Patrick Mullins on BLIZZARD OF OZ for his father Willie is another that can trouble the judge, while ASLUKGOES and MASACCIO may provide the strongest challenge from the home contingent.
Prediction: 1st POUR LES FILLES, 2nd Blizzard Of Oz, 3rd Aslukgoes, 4th Masaccio
CHEPSTOW
Race 6 No5 JUST OVER LAND (Nap)
Trainer: Sam Thomas – Jockey: Finn Lambert
JUST OVER LAND has shown promise in his last two of three starts ahead of this handicap debut. He’s unexposed and can outpoint dual scorer Bert Wilson.
NEWCASTLE
Race 4 No8 McGOWAN’S PASS (Each Way)
Trainer: Jennie Candlish – Jockey: William Shanahan
McGOWAN’S PASS hasn’t won for more than five years but continues to run well for his trainer. After a string of frustrating near misses the veteran can finally click.
YARMOUTH
Race 3 No4 DASHO LENNIE (Nap)
Trainer: Sean Woods – Jockey: Harry Dawes
DASHO LENNIE got the job done well at Lingfield and as the only winner in this novice had to concede weight to the other three-year-olds. However, he has the points on the board, and can follow-up at the main expense of Tempered Soul.
WOLVERHAMPTON
Race 2 No7 TRANQUIL ROSE (Nap)
Trainer: Charlie Appleby – Jockey: James Doyle
TRANQUIL ROSE steps back a tad on the distance ladder after getting caught late in the game on her debut here last month. She will be more streetwise, and should make no mistake.
Place Accumulator Perm (Races 1-7)
5, 1 x 7 x 2 x 1, 5 x 2, 1 x 5, 7, 2 x 1, 4
R48
