Day Three Aintree Grand National Meeting Preview

The first race of the day on day three of the Aintree Grand National meeting sees the Grade Three Handicap Hurdle over 3m1/2f and with a huge field heading to post we have two each way selections.

The unexposed seven year old Come On Teddy is our first selection for trainer Tom George and is certainly one to keep an eye on in this event being near the bottom of the weights and holding plenty of ability.

The gelding was smart over hurdles last term winning and placing in some nice events and having made his seasonal debut at Uttoxeter on November and finished a good fourth of 13 runners, it would have set him up perfectly for the season.

He then went to Cheltenham in December and in good style landed a decent Handicap Hurdle over three miles seeing off On The Blind Side, who has since gone on to frank the form.

Next time out Come On Teddy was a good third behind Imperial Alcazar in a Pertemps Qualifier at Warwick in heavy ground that he hates.

Last time out he was seen finishing a staying on third in the Pertemps Final Handicap Hurdle at the Cheltenham festival and only 3lb higher makes him a player once more.

At a slightly bigger price and following the same form line as our first pick is Champagne Platinum for Nicky Henderson.

The seven year old this season has really turned a corner, being sent back over hurdles having been average over fences the season before.

He made his seasonal debut in November in a Handicap at Newbury where he was carrying a tough weight and still managed to finish a solid third on good ground.

He then went to Haydock on soft ground in a Pertemps Qualifier and stayed on from a mile back to get second and book his place in the race at Cheltenham.

The gelding turned up at Prestbury Park and in a tough finish managed to get fifth, again doing his best work at the finish and running here off the same mark of 139 makes him very dangerous.

One of the best spectacles of the day from a class perspective is the 2m4f Grade One Mersey Novices' Hurdle and Ballyadam could just be a class above this field now getting his ground.

The six year old is a hugely exciting youngster Cheveley Park Stud after winning a three mile point to point by four lengths and being bought by the owners for a big fee.

He was seen twice last term, first time finishing third in a decent bumper at Navan before getting off the mark at the second time of asking, winning at Downpatrick by 18 lengths.

It was a breathtaking performance and he used that on his hurdles debut to get off the mark in fine style in a Maiden Hurdle at Down Royal, winning by 12 lengths.

He is a horse regarded very highly in Ireland and backed up that potential on just his second start over hurdles when landing the Grade One Royal Bond Novices' Hurdle at Fairyhouse.

Since then he has been twice more at Leopardstown in Grade One events and although giving a lesser run at Christmas behind rival Appreciate it in to fourth, he bounced back last time out at the Dublin Racing Festival to finish a much closer second.

Last time out he ran another credible race when a long way second behind Appreciate It in the Supreme Novices' Hurdle at the Cheltenham festival.

He was destined for third after a bad mistake three out, but with Blue Lord falling at the last he took second and the way he stayed on in the final stages suggests that this step up in trip with suit.

Best form in the race.

With Shishkin to short a price in the Maghull Novices' Chase we move onto the Grade One Ryanair Stayers' Hurdle and Thyme Hill looks the one to beat.

The seven year old gelding was remarkable last season winning three of his four contests in great style and showing a clear staying ability.

He started his life over hurdles at Chepstow in the Grade Two Persian War Novices Hurdle and seeing off some smart youngsters that have since gone on to frank that form including Grade One winner Fiddlerontheroof.

The gelding then went to Cheltenham in the Grade Two Ballymore Novices Hurdle and again put in a strong winning run to enhance his credentials in this division.

He was destined for big things off the back of his third in the Champion Bumper at Cheltenham last season and fulfilled his potential for the term when landing the Grade One Challow Hurdle at Newbury.

He was then sent back to Cheltenham in March for the Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle and although suffering his first defeat over hurdles, he was a narrow fourth in a very hot Grade One.

The form of that race has worked out with the first, second and third since coming out and winning on their seasonal debuts.

Coming out of novice company on seasonal debut many were apprehensive as to how Thyme Hill would handle taking seasoned staying horses on first time out, but he was superb landing the Grade Two Long Distance Hurdle at Newbury.

The gelding saw off strong challenges from McFabulous and Paisley Park that day and he was up against the latter again in his bid for his second Grade One win of his career.

However, although looking the likely winner with 50 yards to go he was nabbed on the line by Paisley Park, but we think in the decider that our gelding will have too much for him having skipped Cheltenham and getting better ground.

Next up is the Grade Three Handicap Chase over 3m1f and Snow Leopardess for trainer Charlie Longsdon has a huge chance at a big price.

The mare has been in superb form this season, being a smart hurdler and being sent over fences and knocking on the door in every race.

She made her seasonal debut in September at Bangor on quick ground and finished a fair third when looking like needing the run.

Next time she went to Wetherby over three miles and was a good second behind Shan Blue that went on to land the Grade One Kauto Star Novices' Chase off the back of that race.

Snow Leopardess also franked the form of that race by winning at Haydock over 3m2f, with her and second Commodore being well clear of the third placed horse.

She then went back to Wetherby over three miles again and nearly backed up her win at Haydock when narrowly going down to Canelo in the final stages.

Last time out she stepped up in trip and class when taking on the boys in the National Hunt Chase at the Cheltenham festival and although finishing fourth, the horses she was behind were a class above and she gave a fair showing.

Stepping back to three miles will be perfect for her and if her runs this season are not starting to take their toll on her then she is a live player at a double figure price.

The 2021 Grand National as ever will see 40 runenrs head to post looking to land the biggest race in the sports history and we have three suggestions at each way prices.

The first is Kimberlite Candy, who heads into the event off a mark of 153 which sees him getting a workable weight against some of the better horses in the contest.

The gelding 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.

He was probably being aimed at last year's Grand National, but with it being postponed the team turned their attention to this seasons renewal.

With that in mind he has only been seen once to keep fresh and once again he was a good second in the Becher Chase in December, finishing in behind the veteran Vieux Lion Rouge.

Having only three runs in the last two seasons should see him fresher than most for this event and at 14/1 he looks a big player for JP McManus, being a proven stayer and jumper of these fences.

Henry De Bromhead is a trainer that can do very little wrong at the moment, landing six winners at the Cheltenham festival, including being the first handler in the history of the sport to land the Champion Hurdle, Gold Cup and Champion Chase at the same festival.

In the Grand National his leading chance looks to Minella Times, who off a mark of 146 could have some serious weight in hand, if staying the monster trip.

A highly consistent gelding for the yard, he has been running in big fielded handicaps all season to a decent level, not finishing out of the top two on all three of his runs this term.

He made his seasonal debut at Listowel over 2m6f and got off the a winning start and then backed that up next time out when a good second behind Castlebawn West in the Paddy Power Chase at Leopardstown at Christmas.

Last time out he was another decent second at Leopardstown in February behind Off You Go, with the form of that race working out really nicely.

It looks as though his season has been geared towards Aintree and if handling the extra distance should be a big player for a thriving yard off a low weight.

Nice each way price.

Finally, our third and final pick in the race is the Willie Mullins trained Burrows Saint that has been primed for this event all season long.

To win any national race across the season, the one thing you need to be is a thorough stayer and this horse is exactly that, not finding all that much off the bridle, but staying on it until the final fence.

Burrows Saint landed the 2019 Irish Grand National having been chased down by stablemates Isleofhopeanddreams and Acapella Bourgeois, but did enough to take the contest.

Since then it seems everything has been geared towards Saturday, making his seasonal debut over hurdles at Clonmel and finishing a nice second on heavy ground.

Having blowed the cobwebs away, he was sent over hurdles again in the Grade Two Galmoy Hurdle where the heavy ground showed again and he could only finish sixth of 10.

He was given his first chase event of the season at the end of February when finishing a good second to stablemate Acapella Bourgeoius in the Grade Three Bobby Jo Chase at Gowran Park.

He has been patiently waited on all term in the run up the Grand National and having proven stamina and getting nice ground, he is a live player.

The final event of the Grand festival is the Grade Two Standard Open National hunt Flat Race over 2m1f and Super Six for Nigel Twiston-Davies looks a big price at 8/1.

The four year old has been seen three times during his career, winning his first two starts in bumpers at Hereford and Chepstow, getting better with each run.

Those runs primed him for a crack at the Grade One Champion Bumper at the Cheltenham festival and he did well to finish fifth behind the likes if Sir Gerhard, Kilcruit, Elle Est Belle and Three Stripe Life who are all superb horses for the future.

On form he sets the standard.