Get all of your tips and picks for day two’s racing coming your way from the Aintree Festival on 14 April 2023.
AINTREE FESTIVAL – DAY 2
Race 2 – PLAYFUL SAINT 12/1
Skelton’s PLAYFUL SAINT could still be well treated in the William Hill Handicap Hurdle at Aintree. The eight-year-old was only having the seventh run of his life when third in the Imperial Cup, when the very heavy ground bogged him down. As long as the going is not too testing, he can get involved.
Others to consider include MARTELLO SKY (16/1), who looks overpriced when you go back through her form. Although yet to win this season, she was last seen finishing third to Epatante in a Grade 2 at Doncaster and this will be her first venture into handicap company since winning at Cheltenham off 3lb higher in December 2021.
CAMPROND (5/1) is an obvious danger. He may have won the Coral Cup barring a mistake at the last, although an added 5lb from the handicapper won’t make his task any easier. SONIGINO (16/1) may look to slip the field early and make all the running, while Irish raider The Bosses Oscar is another who is hard to ignore.
Race 3 – HULLNBACK
Fergal O’Brien has enjoyed his best-ever season numerically but he could do with a real headline horse and HULLNBACK could just be that. He dips his toe into Grade One company for the first time in the Poundland Top Novices’ Hurdle. Rather than his most recent piece of form advertising his claims – a very easy win at Warwick – it was the run before which marked him out as very useful.
He beat Lee’s Nemean Lion at Haydock in November and that one has gone on to be third in the Tolworth and win Kelso’s Premier Novices’ Hurdle. Tolworth winner Tahmuras needs to bounce back from a poor run at Cheltenham, while similar comments apply to Nicky Henderson’s mare LUCCIA (4/1) and this certainly looks an open contest
Race 4 – PIC D’ORHY 9/4
PIC D’HORY can spoil FAKIRD’OUDAIRIES’ (2/1) hat-trick bid in the Marsh Chase at Aintree. Both horses have the fact that they missed Cheltenham in their favour, but it is not being controversial to say Fakir D’oudairies has not been at his very best this season.
Joseph O’Brien’s stalwart does have a win in a Thurles Grade Two to his name, in which he had the reopposing French Dynamite in behind, but he was handed that on a plate with the fall of Haut En Couleurs. He was subsequently beaten a long way by Shishkin at Ascot and admittedly so was Pic D’Orhy in the same race, but at least he led Shishkin to the second last.
Pic D’Orhy has been much improved this season and while all his best form over fences is right-handed, he did win a Betfair Hurdle at Newbury, so it appears a flat track is the crucial factor for Paul Nicholls’ charge.
Race 5 – DEMACHINE
The race over the National fences on Friday is the 30-runner Topham Chase in which Kerry Lee’s DEMACHINE should give punters a run for their money at a big price. He tends to go well fresh, so it is a bonus he has not run since January and he is just the sort of horse who should take well to the unique test, given he likes to race prominently and is a solid jumper.
Lee has been among the winners of late and this lightly-raced nine-year-old was classy enough to finish second in the Reynoldstown as a novice. He won a valuable prize at Uttoxeter back in May, yet three subsequent defeats mean he races off just 1lb higher.
Race 6 – MAXMILIAN 9/2
Stay Away Fay was a very determined winner of the Albert Bartlett at Cheltenham but he is unlikely to be gifted an easy lead in the Winners Wear Cavani Sefton Novices’ Hurdle. Prior to Cheltenham, Stay Away Fay was beaten by the Donald McCain-trained MAXMILIAN at Doncaster and he is taken to confirm that form.
A prolific winner, he showed a great attitude having been off the bridle a long way out and the long home straight will really suit him. IROKO (11/2) has the potential to improve for the step up in trip but will need to take his form to a new level in Graded company.
The Irish haven’t won this since 2005, though they have a strong contender in ABSOLUTE NOTIONS (7/2), who ran a cracker at the Dublin Racing Festival when last seen. Others to note include BLENKINSOP (18/1), GREY DAWNING (8/1) and MOFASA (40/1).
