Day two of the Grand National Festival at Aintree sees the Top Novices Hurdle and the Melling Chase take centre stage.
A field of seven will line up tomorrow for the two-and-a-half mile Melling Chase where Fakir D’oudairies will attempt a hat-trick of wins alongside jockey Mark Walsh and trainer Joseph O’Brien. Currently William Hill makes him the 3.25 joint-favourite.
The 8-year-old was not run at Cheltenham and last time out was a distant third to Shishkin in the Ascot Chase, but clearly he relishes this course and distance.
※ Current Odds Date & Time: April 13th, 1:00 P.M. (BST)
Looking to end Fakir D’oudairies’ stronghold is Pic D’Orhy, also at 3.25. Paul Nicholls’ 8-year-old had a poor outing in a Novices’ Chase at this meeting a year ago, but then had a run of three straight wins, including two Grade 2s, before beating Fakir D’oudairies to second in the Ascot Chase.
Runner-up in this race last year is 6.00 chance Hitman, also for Nicholls. Since then, the 7-year-old has continually fallen short of an elusive top graded victory, finishing third last time in the Ryanair Chase at Cheltenham. Lorcan Williams regains the ride for the first time since last year’s race.
French Dynamite (10.00) was fourth in the Ryanair and second to Fakir D’oudairies in a Grade 2 at Thurles in January. Fugitif (11.00) was second in the Magners Plate last month but didn’t fare well at this meeting in 2022.
Millers Bank (11.00) won the Manifesto Novices Chase here last year but has looked outclassed in experienced Grade 1 company, in which Minella Drama (26.00) will be running for the first time in a chase.
There are also joint-favourites ahead of the Top Novices Hurdle earlier in the day, for which 14 runners are set to line-up.
Found A Fifty and Luccia are both at 4.50 with William Hill for the 2 mile ½ furlong trip, which will see Gordon Elliott and Nicky Henderson battle it out.
※ Current Odds Date & Time: April 13th, 1:00 P.M. (BST)
Elliott’s Found A Fifty has come to England for the first time on the back of finishing second at Naas in a Grade 2 novice hurdle when going off as the favourite. Davy Russell will be on board as he was for a win at Fairyhouse in January.
Nico de Boinville rides Luccia whose run of four straight wins came to an end at Cheltenham with a fourth place in the Grade 2 Mares’ Novices Hurdle.
Very much in contention at 5.50 is Inthepocket who was runner up in the Grade 1 Ireland Novice Hurdle at Leopardstown in February before finishing fourth in the Supreme Novices at Cheltenham. Rachael Blackmore takes her usual ride.
Altobelli (10.00) is unbeaten from three starts; Hullnback (11.00), No Looking Back and Tahmarus (both 13.00) can all boast recent success.
