Thursday, April 07, 2016

Aintree 2016 - Friday

Friday is Ladies' Day.

In recent weeks Aintree racecourse has attempted to walk a particularly tricky line by suggesting racegoers may wish to adopt a more understated sartorial approach this year; I'd suggest it's odds against racegoers heeding the advice proffered.       

For those interested in the racing, Vautour will be no betting proposition in the JLT Melling Chase at 3.25 but in full flight Willie Mullins' charge is a sight to behold.

Blaklion is as tough as old boots and did me a favour at Cheltenham but I won't be playing up winnings in the Mildmay Novices' Chase at 2.50. Un Temps Pour Tout won the Ultima Handicap Chase with something in hand at the Festival and is now rated five pounds better than the RSA winner. Back in February I gave Native River one final chance in the Towton at Wetherby but he just didn't cut it; he finished a close second to Minella Rocco in the four miler at Cheltenham and may just get outpaced on this track.

In this week's 'Straight from the Stable' feature in the Weekender Lucinda Russell has a strong word for Sky Khan who was third in the Martin Pipe last time and goes in the opener:

"He ran on really well and Derek [Fox], who rode him, keeps saying he would have won if he had gone sooner, but that is always how he will run as he has to have a strong pace and run through horses late on."   

Ballyandy had a hard race in the bumper at Cheltenham and is saddled with a four pound penalty for his trouble in the Aintree equivalent at 5.15.

I thought Limini potentially vulnerable in the Mares' Hurdle at Cheltenham but we now know she's clearly very good. That said, she faces a tougher-lookng assignment against the likes of Buveur D'Air and Agrapart in the 2.15. With the ground riding on the soft side, Buveur is my idea of the winner but at the prices I'm considering an each-way interest in Agrapart who won Newbury's Betfair Hurdle by an astonishing eleven lengths and on official ratings has three pounds to find with the two market leaders.

9/1 in several places, Agrapart is the each-way selection in the Imagine Cruising First In The Frame Top Novices' Hurdle.

3 comments:

TW said...

I’m not sure it aids his, our your, chance but I do feel Agrapart can make the places. I think the layers have priced Agrapart’s race and the other Grade 1’ on the card pretty spot on which leaves zero room for profit!

So it is back to the handicaps for me in the search for value with Francis Of Assisi, San Benedeto & Theinval making the short list in the opener and Ballykan, Dromnea & La Vaticane looking potential value in the Topham.

Good luck.

P.S If these comments are proving annoying please feel free to delete during the moderation process!

GeeDee said...

Always happy to discuss racing and aspects of form, TW.

Good luck!

PG

GeeDee said...

I've just watched a replay of this race; from an early point Lizzie Kelly never looked particularly happy with Agrapart (10/1). Coming out of the back straight push had come to shove but the selection was unable to keep tabs on the leaders, eventually coming home some ten lengths behind Buveur D'Air (11/4).

The winner had a fair old tussle with 40/1 shot Petit Mouchoir after the last but eventually prevailed by a neck with 11/10 favourite Limini some eight lengths adrift in third.