Aintree Day 2 Selections

The blog had a super day on Thursday and we got off to the perfect start when Arzal led from pillar to post in the opener under an aggressive ride from Gavin  Sheehan. He jumped like a stag and when the runner up came to him he had enough up his sleeve to repel him and pull away for an easy win. Azzuri ran a gallant race behind the ultra impressive Apple's Jade and he just held on for 3rd, rewarding each way support at an advised price of 33/1.

Unfortunately The New One fell before the race began in earnest, and Taquin Du Seuil just couldn't live with them in the Betfred Bowl. He wasn't beaten far and there is another nice race to be won with him at some stage. Katachenko gave us our second winner of the day (adv 14/1) with another bold front running display, but unfortunately Beyond Measure was well out of her depth in the bumper. Below are my selections for Day 2 and hopefully there is another winner or two in there for us tomorrow.

RACE 1  HANDICAP HURDLE

This is a typically competitive big field handicap hurdle and in races like this stakes should be kept to a minimum. The horse I like is right at the foot of the handicap and he won't be popular with many punters after being pulled up on his last two starts. However, I think Party Rock could be set for a much better showing tomorrow, and this Jennie Candlish trained 9yo son of Vinnie Roe has run well around here a number of times.

He hasn't managed to win since taking a strong handicap here off 128 back in 2013, but he has run some excellent races in defeat from marks as high as 145, such as when he was beaten just a half length by Like Minded here over 20f on soft ground. However, he has undoubtedly been handicapped up to the hilt, and a couple of below par efforts have seen his mark plummet back down to a very workable 130.

That is just 2lb above his last winning mark and he also managed a decent 7th place finish in this race last season off 137, 7L behind the winner Theinval who he is 11lb better off with this year. Although he was pulled up on his last run it was his seasonal reappearance and he was very badly hampered early on so you can put a line through that run. Jennie Candlish's horses are running out of their skins and she has had 4 winners and 2 seconds from her last 8 runners. Party Rock is a huge price at 33/1 and I think he is capable of running a nice race if he is fit and ready to go.

STEVOS' SELECTION: PARTY ROCK E/W 33/1

RACE 2  NOVICES' HURDLE GRADE 1

Limini will be a warm order here and after her Cheltenham romp and with a weight for sex allowance she will be very popular with those who love to smash a shorty. One I like at a price is Gwafa, and this 5yo son of Tamayuz has not only looked the part on his last two runs, he is also bred to be the real deal. He is a half brother to Listed handicap hurdle winner Australia Day, and his half sister Marjalina was good enough to win a group 3 on the flat.

He was useful on the flat and won his maiden before going on to be placed in two hot handicaps at Haydock and Ascot (both 12f) off marks of 85 and 87 respectively. He was a no show on his hurdling debut in a hot class 2 novice at Kempton, but he left that well behind next time at Fakenham when he hosed up by 15L on soft ground (16f). It was a similar story under a penalty at Huntingdon next time when he cruised home by 6L.

He skipped Cheltenham in order to be fresh for this race, which was mooted as a possibility by his trainer after his first hurdle win. He has a fair bit to find on the official ratings, and understandably so as he has yet to race in company anywhere as near as hot as this. However, he is bred to be a black type performer and I think he could reward each way support at odds of 20/1.

STEVOS' SELECTION: GWAFA E/W 20/1

RACE 3  MILDMAY NOVICES' CHASE GRADE 1

Having looked at this race for what feels like an eternity I don't think I am any closer to finding the winner. Nothing really appeals as being overpriced and it is a race I am just going to watch and enjoy. It looks a match between Un Temps Pour Tout and Blaklion, and if they both reproduce the form of their last efforts it promises to be a titanic tussle. May the best horse win.

RACE 4 MELLING CHASE GRADE 1

Another race that doesn't appeal as a betting heat, but it will be still worth watching to see the machine that is Vautour in action. He hacked up in the Ryanair at Cheltenham and connections have kept him at 20f, a wise decision in  my opinion. He will be hard to beat tomorrow, but something has to come second and Clarcam could be worth a pound each way at huge odds.

This 6yo son of Califet has some useful Grade 2 chase form in the book and he took the Grade 1 novices' chase here last season by 4L from Vibrato Valtat. He has only had one run since the turn of the year, when well beaten at Fairyhouse on desperate ground, but those conditions were never likely to suit and he is a different horse on good ground.

He was also a close 2nd to Guitar Pete in a Grade 1 Juvenile hurdle here back in 2014 so his form figures at Aintree in Grade 1s are 21. He looks a huge price at 66/1 tomorrow and barring accidents he could be the one to chase Vautour home.

STEVOS' SELECTION: CLARCAM E/W 66/1

RACE 5  TOPHAM CHASE

A 30 runner handicap over the Grand National fences and whatever wins a race like this will need a lot of luck, The one I am interested in here is Dare To Endeavour for Eric McNamara and Paul Moloney. This 9yo son of Alflora used to be trained by Tom George and was rated as high as 138 for him. He was pulled up on his last run at Limerick in a handicap hurdle (21f heavy) and in truth that was likely meant to serve as a pipe opener for this race.

I would imagine this race tomorrow has been the target since his super run behind our old friend Highland Lodge here back in December when he was a good 2nd over the national fences off a mark of 134 (26f soft). Now admittedly this race is 5 furlongs shorter at 21f, but his last win came at Perth over 20f in April of 2014 and he also went close off 134 over 20f at Sandown last March.

He jumped really well behind Highland Lodge in the Beecher and a proven ability to jump these daunting fences is a huge positive. He is just a pound higher here after that excellent run and his last win came off just 2lb lower. Paul Moloney will hunt him around and if he can get a good start he could be hard to catch. He looks a huge price at 25/1 and he is worthy of a small each way bet in a wide open race.

STEVOS' SELECTION: DARE TO ENDEAVOUR E/W 25/1

4.40 SEFTON NOVICES' HURDLE GRADE 1

I put up Balko Des Flos at 40/1 in the Albert Bartlett at Cheltenham and I didn't see anything in his run there to put me off going in again on him tomorrow. He travelled and jumped really well, and he just seemed to get tapped for toe on the good ground, finishing 5th beaten just over 15L. All the rain that has fallen will suit this 5yo son of Balko well, and he is 3 from 5 in his career so far.

He has won two bumpers and a maiden on ground ranging from yielding to soft, and his only bad run came on his seasonal reappearance on bottomless ground at Navan. That run was full of promise last time at Cheltenham and with a little bit more ease in the ground he is capable of going even closer here. Cooper has chosen to ride him ahead of Gangster and Arkwrisht, and at odds of 10/1 he is a confident each way selection.

STEVOS' SELECTION: BALKO DES FLOS E/W 10/1

5.15 CHAMPION BUMPER GRADE 2

Ballyandy broke our hearts at Cheltenham when holding off the late challenge of Battleford by a nose and he is 11/4 to make it a big festival bumper double. However, he was all out and had a very tough race at the festival and three weeks may not have been sufficient time for him to recover. Battleford is edging favouritism at 5/2 but the same sentiment applies to him and surely there is better value to be found elsewhere.

Utility is a fascinating contender for Coolmore and Jonjo O'Neill and this blue blooded 5yo son of Yeats hasn't been seen since hosing up in a heavy ground bumper at Uttoxeter back in December. He swerved the Cheltenham festival and comes here a much fresher horse than some of his rivals. Jonjo O'Neill's yard has been hitting form in the last couple of weeks and there are few in the field with the pedigree possessed by this fella.

He is out of a full sister to the top class 4 time German Group 1 winner Ungaro, and he is related to a whole host of black type performers. Two of his siblings have earned black type on the level and both earned RP ratings of over 100. This gelding has the potential to be absolutely anything and, though this will be a much tougher test than his debut, he is the each way selection in a very competitive heat.

STEVOS' SELECTION: UTILITY E/W 9/1