The feature race of the afternoon is the Grade One Marsh Chase over 2m4f and looking to land a hat-trick in the race is the Joseph O'Brien trained Fakir D'oudairies is the stand out selection.
Fakir D’oudairies has looked like a horse that is slightly on the decline but we think this event could be his big win of the season and after the break he has been given, missing The Cheltenham Festival will bring him back to somewhere near his best, in a race he has made his own over the last two years.
Second on seasonal return at Punchestown behind Gold Cup winner Galopin Des Champs in the Grade One John Durkan Memorial Chase, He then went to Thurles and landed the Grade Two Horse & Jockey Hotel Chase, getting slightly lucky when Haut En Couleurs fell at the last and he stayed on to take the race.
Sent to Ascot when last seen looking for back to back wins in the Grade One Ascot Chase he was beaten a long way out finishing a tame third behind Shishkin and Pic D’Orhy.
However, like previously mentioned the thing with this horse is that his whole season would have been moulded around this race, he has put up the best performances of his career when winning this race the last two years and with this years field lacking real depth we think he can bounce back to form to win this event.
The Aintree factor, the form he holds throughout his career and coming here having missed The Cheltenham Festival all give him some big positives seeking a hat-trick in this race.