Aintree Saturday Preview - 04/12/21

The first race of the day at Aintree is the 2m1f Aintree Hurdle and Bombs Away for the inform Olly Murphy looks tough to beat if staying on an upward curve.

The five year old has been seen twice during his short career, making a pleasing debut at Southwell in May when a narrow second to a two time bumper winner.

Moved straight over hurdles this term, the gelding went on to bolt up by close to five lengths in a devent Maiden Hurdle at Sandown with the second looking a nice prospect.

Has to give some weight away to the field but looks an improving type for a flying yard.

One of the first big races of the day is the Listed Mares' Chase over 2m4f and Irish raider Elimay for Willie Mullins will be extremely tough to beat if fully wound up.

The superb mare for owner JP McManus had a superb time of things over fences last term and if running to the same form as last season makes her a likely winner.

Having being a superb hurdler and also proving she can jump over fences, Mullins sent her over the bigger obstacles for the first time in ages and it paid off with her finishing a good second behind stablemate and superstar Allaho in a Grade Two event at Thurles.

Dropped into a lesser race next time out against her own sex saw her get off the mark for the season over fences in comfortable style, seeing off challenger Shattered Love by close to six lengths.

This set her up perfectly for a crack at the Grade Two Mares Chase at the Cheltenham festival and in a superb first renewal of the race she was just outstayed by the Grade One winning Colreevy.

Elimay rounder off her season by getting back to winning ways at Fairyhouse in a Listed event and overall her rating and form is far better than the competitors in this event.

A very tricky event for punters on Saturday at Aintree is the Class 2 Handicap Chase over 2m4f and we are taking a punt at Palmers Hill for Jonjo O'Neill.

The eight year old Palmers Hill looks an extremely interesting type for JP McManus who could have a big season over fences this term.

Having been hit and miss over the last few seasons he made a very pleasing return to action this term when taking a handicap chase at Wetherby over 2m3f.

He has only gone upto a mark of 134 off the back of that win and could still be extremely handicapped for this event.

Potentially big player.

Another smart event on the Aintree card is the Listed Juvenile Fillies' Hurdle over 2m1f and Irish raider White Pepper for Gavin Cromwell looks a very exciting animal.

The three year old filly was a fair horse on the flat and this term has been sent over hurdles for the Champion Hurdle winning trainer.

The daughter of Fast Company made a lovely start to life over hurdles when a narrow fifth of 16 on good to soft ground at Gowran.

She learnt a lot for that experience when going to Galway next time out and she beat a nice type for Gordon Elliott by 13 lengths.

That looks some of the stand out form on show and needs taking seriously.

The feature event of the day on Merseyside is the Grade Two Many Clouds Chase and Imperial Aura, although needing to reverse his form, he looks the value in the field off the best of his form.

Kim Bailey’s charge looked like a top-class chaser in the making in the early stages of last season, winning his first two starts at Carlisle and Ascot, before slightly disappointing when pulling up at Cheltenham in the Ryanair Chase after being fancied to win his first career Grade One.

His figures for his last three races do not read well with an unseat, being pulled up and falling but before his step up to three miles in the Betfair Chase last time out he was niggled at in the betting to suggest they expected a big run.

On his day he is a superb horse and if being lenient with his recent form he has a big chance, with plenty of horses in this race having plenty of negatives.

One of the big races at Aintree every season is the Becher Chase over the national fences and with a huge field going to post as usual we have two selections.

Kimberlite Candy is our first pick and has been highly consistent over staying trips during his career and having been really lightly raced over the last years it seems as though a got at this race has been in the offing for some time.

Back in December 2019 he headed to Aintree for the first time in his career in the Grade Three Becher Chase over the National horses and was a superb second of 18 behind Walk In The Mill.

From there, in January 2020 he headed to Warwick for his final run of that season when winning the Grade Three Classic Handicap Chase over 3m5f by 10 lengths.

Kept fresh last term he was a good second on seasonal debut in the Becher Chase in December, finishing in behind the veteran Vieux Lion Rouge.

He unfortunately pulled up in the Grand National, but barring that run he is a reliable horse that will stay the trip and off the same mark as last year's race, can go well.

At a bigger price in the race the Nigel Twiston-Davies trained Checkitout is weighted to go very close near the bottom of the weights and also having an extra 3lb taken off by handy claimer Jordan Nailor.

At an each way price the son of Salutino seems to have been targeted at this and overall is a consistent horse with two wins and a second in his last five runs.

Seen once this season he finished a superb second in the London Gold Cup behind the talented Larry for Gary Moore and looking to want this extended trip, he could hit the frame off only 1lb higher.

The final event of the afternoon at Aintree is the Handicap Hurdle over 2m4f and Tamar Bridge still looks well in with the handicapper after his latest win.

Olly Murphy is a trainer bang in form at the minute running at a 35% strike rate for the last two weeks and this gelding looks to have a big chance to keep that run going.

The son of Jeremy has been seen four times to date, winning his sole bumper run in December 2020 at Haydock and since being ran three times over hurdles and winning his last two.

Finishing a good third in February on hurdles debut, he then went to Ayr in March and got off the mark in taking style, beating the talented Bass Rock.

Saved for this term, he picked up from where he left off, going to Wetherby for his seasonal debut and landing a Novices' race by 13 lengths.

The assessor has given him a mark of 128 for his handicap debut and that looks extremely fair.