The first selection of the afternoon on ITV comes from Aintree in the Grade Two Many Clouds Chase, won in the past by some very smart performers and this season we feel will be no different.
The Lucinda Russell trained Ahoy Senor should be a class above this field if his first run of the season has truly took the freshness out of him.
A superb horse over the last few years for Lucinda Russell and Peter Scudamore, the seven year old truly announced himself as a special horse at Aintree's Grand National meeting in 2021 when landing the Grade One Sefton Novices' Hurdle by seven lengths at odds of 66/1.
Always bought to be a chaser, he was sent over the larger obstacles last term and having unseated his rider on chase debut at Carlisle, he then went to Newbury and bolted up by 31 lengths in the Grade Two John Francome Novices' Chase.
Second to Bravemansgame in the Grade One Kauto Star Novices' Chase at the King George meeting at Kempton, he was then sent to Wetherby looking to get back on track in the Grade Two Towton Novices' Chase and saw off Grand National winner Noble Yeats.
That run set him up perfectly for a crack at the Brown Advisory Novices' Chase at the Cheltenham festival and with he rain falling it played to the strengths of L'Homme Presse with Ahoy Senor chasing him home in second.
His last run of last season came at Aintree again, looking to settle the score with Bravemansgame, he went on to land the Grade One Mildmay Novices' Chase from the front with ease, keeping his unbeaten record at the track.
For his seasonal debut this term he took on his old mate again at Wetherby in the Charlie Hall Chase and he ran nowhere near the standard he has previously shown.
He will be much better for that first outing and getting back to a track he is unbeaten at he is the one to beat.