Jaysella’s Aintree Festival Racecard for Saturday 5th April 2025

Jaysella’s Aintree Racecard for Saturday April 5th

William Hill Top Price Guarantee Handicap Hurdle (Premier Handicap) 1.20
Catch Him Derry
I’m taking a chance that Dan Skelton’s Catch Him Derry can reverse the placings with Jeriko Du Reponet from the Pertemps Final at Cheltenham. There was less than 3 lengths between them as they chased down Doddiethegreat, but now Catch Him Derry is 3lbs better at these weights, and that could be enough to tip the scales. Olly Murphy has his yard in good nick, so Act Of Authority won’t be far away, with Lewis Saunders’ 7lb claim useful enough, but Catch Him Derry gets my vote.

Turners Mersey Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 1) 1.55
Lulamba
If Nicky Henderson doesn’t get off the mark in the opener, then Lulamba can book him an appearance in the winner’s enclosure in the second. This French import just lost out by a neck in the biggest upset of the Cheltenham Festival, when Willie Mullins’s Poniros got home at 100/1, so redemption for that has to be on the cards for the Seven Barrows handler. Lulamba gets weight all round being a four year old, and in my book that’s enough to justify a lofty rating after just the three starts. Henry de Bromhead will be trying to spoil the party with Koktail Divin, while the unbeaten Horaces Pearl doesn’t seem to know how to lose, so is another to note, but its Lulamba for me.

William Hill Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap) 2.30
Myretown
Lucinda Russell has the upwardly mobile Myretown right at the top of the ante post markets for this Handicap Chase, and I don’t think he’ll have to improve much from his win at Cheltenham to land this. Obviously, he’s taken quite a hit from the Handicapper for that Ultima win, but he strung them out from the front, and those tactics might work again, though Imperial Saint is three from three round here so has to be considered. Top weight Sam Brown is getting on a bit now at thirteen, but still has plenty about him judged on his latest Newbury success, and I think one of these three is going in. Myretown to defy the rise and win again from the front.

Ivy Liverpool Hurdle (Grade 1) 3.05
Home By The Lee (nap)
I know that Teahupoo has long been a favourite for this, but I can’t have him just over three weeks after a tough race at Cheltenham. He did run to form to finish second behind a rejuvenated Bob Olinger, but it’s obvious he does his best work fresh, so I’m finding him easy to oppose. It’s Joseph O’Brien’s Home By The Lee that floats my boat for the Liverpool Hurdle, and having unseated JJ Slevin when Crambo fell and scuppered his chances in that same Stayers’ Hurdle, I’m of the mind that he’s going to line up here fresher than Teahupoo. Kitzbuhel is the interesting one for Willie Mullins, but has never tried anything like this trip, so, on balance, Home By The Lee looks the strongest candidate.

Randox Grand National Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap) 4.00
Hewick
Here we go, the race that we’ve all been waiting for, and I’m going to plump for Shark Hanlon’s Hewick. This bargain basement buy….yeah…he really did cost 850 Euros! has got lots going for him in the National. He’s got just about the right weight for a Grand National winner, after all, as I said on the Weekender Podcast earlier in the week, this race is these days a really competitive handicap, and the drying ground up here is definitely in his playbook. He’ll go forever, so reunited with Gavin Sheehan all he needs is a clear round. That’s a big if, though, as you need a huge slice of luck in running, so Gavin Sheehan must have his homework handed in! The brilliant Stumptown faces a different test than the Cross Country he won at Cheltenham, but has got the legs to get round, while Willie Mullins has the favourite I Am Maximus, with Minella Cocooner sure to go well. Home hopes for me are Paul Nicholls’s Kandoo Kid, who can run a big race, and Nicky Henderson’s Hyland, who’s a real tryer, though the trainer hasn’t had a lot of luck in this race over the years, so it’s Hewick that gets my vote.

Rosconn Group Maghull Novices’ Chase (Grade 1) 5.00
Only By Night (nb)
A cracker in store for the last of the Grade One’s at Aintree, but I really, really like Gavin Cromwell’s Only By Night. Of course, Dan Skelton’s L’eau Du Sud has hardly put a foot wrong since being sent over fences, but they were both in the Arkle and it was Only By Night that came out on top, and I can’t see any reason to reverse those placings. Paul Nicholls’s Kalif Du Berlais might want more cut in the ground, but isn’t ruled out, but Only By Night is the one I like.

Weatherbys nhstallions.co.uk Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race (Grade 2) 5.35
Mossy Fen Road
It has been a fantastic Festival at Aintree, but there’s still the Bumper to go to round things off on sunny Merseyside. I think I’ll stick with my instinct choice, Mossy Fen Road, to take the closer for Harry Derham. It wasn’t a particularly strong race at Wetherby that he won on his debut under rules, but he did do so in taking fashion, so I can’t put him to one side and go with Willie Mullins’s Green Splendour, who looks the best of the rest. Mossy Fen Road to bring the Aintree Festival to a close with a win for me!