1.45: GERRI COLOMBE , who lost his unbeaten record amid dramatic circumstances at Cheltenham, is expected to resume winning ways.
On the back of victories in a point-to-point, two bumpers and a maiden and novice hurdle, Gordon Elliott’s son of Saddler Maker went chasing this season, and took to the discipline like a duck to water.
Gerri Colombe started off with a defeat of Bronn at Fairyhouse in November before moving up to Grade 1 level to lift the Faugheen Novice Chase at Limerick on Boxing Day.
Another top-level score came via the Scilly Isles Novices’ Chase at Sandown Park at the start of February, and my selection accordingly led the market at 5-4 for the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase at the National Hunt Festival.
As The Real Whacker maintained a metronomic rhythm up front running to the third-last, Gerri Colombe began to feel the heat, but stayed determinedly up the hill to get within a short head of the winner at the line, with Bronn four and a quarter lengths away in third, and Galia Des Liteaux in fifth.
Davy Russell’s mount should maintain his superiority over the runner-up, with Complete Unknown , and impressive handicap chase winner at Kempton Park last time, fancied for third.
2.20: PLAYFUL SAINT boasts strong form in two-mile handicap hurdles and gives the strong impression he will thrive for going up in trip.
Having left Guillaume Macaire to join Dan Skelton last spring, the eight-year-old struck at Wetherby in March 2022.
Playful Saint returned with a fourth to Sonigino at Chepstow in October, before a three-quarter-length second to Love Envoi – the winner is now rated a stone higher – on the Tingle Creek Chase undercard at Sandown Park in December.
My selection doubled his tally in Britain with a 12-length call under the trainer’s brother Dan at Leicester 25 days later, and his third, beaten five lengths, to Iceo in the Imperial Cup at Sandown on the Saturday before Cheltenham represents another step forward.
The son of Saint Des Saints stayed on takingly to the finish that day, so the additional four furlongs here are a definite plus as Playful Saint seeks to go two places better off the same British Horseracing Authority mark of 135.
The short-list for this wide-open event is a predictably long one, with No Ordinary Joe. Dargiannini , Fennor Cross and Sonigino just four horses capable of getting involved.
2.55: ALTOBELLI has plenty of untapped potential to draw upon as he tackles Grade 1 opposition for the first time.
Harry Fry’s son of Maxios, whose namesake Alessandro Altobelli netted in Italy’s 3-1 World Cup Final victory over West Germany in 1982, made the perfect start to his career with a romp in an Exeter bumper in February of last year.
Off the course for 300 days – Altobelli had wind surgery in the interim – the five-year-old marked his obstacles debut with a length-and-a-quarter score in a maiden hurdle at Ffos Las three days before Christmas.
And my selection went in again with a demolition of nine rivals in a novice hurdle over an extended two miles and three furlongs at Carlisle in February, making the running and coming home in isolation by 25 lengths from Ballybeg Boss.
It goes without saying that there is a huge gulf between what is required for success against a clutch of rookie hurdlers in Cumbria and victory in a top-level event at the Grand National fixture.
But Altobelli has barely scratched beneath the surface and, with so much more to come, gets the vote to stay unbeaten.
Irish pair Found A Fifty and Inthepocket are improving and feared, along with Hullnback .
3.30: PIC D’ORHY has been an improved performer this season and looks primed for a first success at the highest level.
After a defeat at Ascot a week before Christmas 2020 – his third in a row over fences – Paul Nicholls chose to abandon Pic D’Orhy’s chasing career and return to hurdles.
Back over the larger obstacles last term, Turgeon’s put together a mixed bag, landing a novice handicap chase at Ffos Las and Grade 2 contests at Ascot and Kempton Park but falling at Newbury and pulling up behind Millers Bank in the Grade 1 Manifesto Novices’ Chase here 12 months ago.
However, on the back of a second breathing operation, the eight-year-old resumed winning ways at Newton Abbot in October before a two-length margin in the Grade 2 Peterborough Chase at Huntingdon three weeks before Christmas, and shrugged off a 6lb penalty with a 16-length thrashing of Clondaw Castle in the same-level Silviniaco Conti Chase at Kempton next time.
Harry Cobden’s partner came up short when attempting the four-timer in the Grade 1 Ascot Chase in mid-February, finishing a 16-length second to Shishkin, with Fakir D’Oudairies seven lengths back in third and Millers Bank fifth.
But the winner was a brilliant horse back to his imperious best that afternoon and Pic D’Orhy remains a big player against the best.
Fakir D’Oudairies seeks a hat-trick in this race and has to be feared.
With Minella Drama and Fugitif in need of more as they step out of handicaps, French Dynamite and Pic D’Orhy’s stablemate Hitman rate the best candidates for the bronze medal.
4.05: PHOENIX WAY is back down to his last winning handicap mark and is capable of giving a good account at rewarding odds.
Stowaway’s son hasn’t been an easy horse for Harry Fry to get to the track – he’s 10 years old and has had just 15 starts, of which 11 have been over fences, under Rules.
But there’s no doubting his ability, as he showed under a brilliant ride from Kevin Brogan to capture a big prize over this trip at Ascot in January 2022.
Phoenix Way has been without a win in five attempts since, but ran well when fifth behind Cap Du Nord – the unfortunate Dorking Lad was brought down two out - in a valuable handicap chase over three miles on the Ascot Chase undercard in mid-February.
My choice has never encountered the National fences before but, back in distance and returned to a British Horseracing Authority rating of 138, Phoenix Way can play a starring role if taking to the test.
Course form points to Batcio and Al Dancer , while Burrows Saint and Equus Dancer are other names to throw into the melting pot.
4.40: STAY AWAY FAY sets the standard – with the promise of more to come.
On the back of a point-to-point win at Lingstown in Co Wexford, in December 2021, the son of Shantou joined Paul Nicholls after going under the hammer for £305,000 five days later.
Nicholls chose to give Stay Away Fay his hurdles debut over two and a half miles at Newbury in November, and my selection justified 15-8 favouritism with a five-length call from Heezer Geezer.
Moving up in distance and class for the Grade 2 River Don Novices’ Hurdle over three miles at Doncaster in January, the six-year-old went under by a length to Maximilian .
But Stay Away Fay took a big step forward to lift the top-level Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival last time out, holding a prominent pitch throughout and holding Affordable Fury by one length.
He hasn’t finished yet, and Stay Away Fay gets the vote to gain revenge for his Town Moor defeat and register a second Grade 1 triumph.
Absolute Nations shapes as though this trip will bring out the best in him and warrants a second look, as do the on-a-roll pair Saint Davy and Blenkinsop .
5.15; HOMME PUBLIC shouldn’t be underestimated as he bids to give his rivals weight and a beating.
Trained in tandem by the Cheltenham Festival winners Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero, the six-year-old began his campaign with a five-and-a-half-length victory at Wetherby in November.
Homme Public then suffered defeats at Sandown Park and Musselburgh, but was back in business at Huntingdon at the end of January, travelling strongly en route to a two-length supremacy from Whizz Kid.
Each of those runs came over two miles, and Toby Wynne’s mount, put up 6lb as a result, finished a below-par sixth to Irish Hill at Ascot before a better second to Jungle Jack at Bangor-On-Dee over an additional three and a half furlongs on his last two starts.
He gives the impression that a strong pace coming back to two miles will show Homme Public in his best light and, with Wynne claiming a useful 5lb allowance in this contest for amateur and conditional jockeys, the top weight is taken to reward each-way support – at the least.
Densworth , Nibiru , Soul Icon and Gaoth Chuil all have possibilities in a Friday finale of near-endless possible outcomes.
AINTREE
1.45 GERRI COLOMBE
2.20 PLAYFUL SAINT (NAP)
2.55 ALTOBELLI
3.30 PIC D’ORHY (NB)
4.05 PHOENIX WAY
4.40 STAY AWAY FAY
5.15 HOMME PUBLIC
LEICESTER
1.30 CARLTON
2.00 MAXIMUM IMPACT
2.35 TIMELESS MELODY
3.10 DASHING DICK
3.45 IN THE GIVING
4.15 KENSINGTON
4.55 HIROMICHI
SEDGEFIELD
2.10 RAMBO T
2.45 ROAD WARRIOR
3.20 WASPY
3.55 CHEMICAL WARFARE
4.30 THATBEATSBANAGHER
5.05 VETONCALL
5.35 LOVIN JUKEBOX
SOUTHWELL
5.00 CINNODIN
5.30 HAVEN LADY
6.00 EQUIAMI
6.30 MY MINERVINA
7.00 NON MOLLARE
7.30 MAHBOOBAH
8.00 MOJEYRR
8.30 CLOUD QUEEN
DOUBLE: PLAYFUL SAINT and PIC D’ORHY
