Racing tips: Tommy’s Oscar will find improvement with today’s step up in trip

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Saturday was a dud day but many ran better than their finish positions, which means nothing as nothing was returned, but they might return on the thread as tips again.

Dancing Gemini was going best entering the final furlong but he didn't quite see it out as well as the others, but he will be a force over 7f and maybe 6f on testing ground next year. Glorious Angel ran a belter to finish second, he couldn't keep off the progressive winner who has won some nice races this year. Amirite is the one I'm confused about the ride. Rachel Blackmore is a super jockey but the way she was riding this horse, she looked like a 10lb claimer, literally all over the place. Weveallbeencaught held up off the pace, jumped okay for the most part but looked one-paced. Full credit to Flooring Porter who did it well, but I wouldn't say he'd be winning big races on the back of that, he'll have tougher assignments ahead of him.

Aintree 1:25 – Cap Du Nord 10/1 (0.5pt EW PaddyPower 4pl)

Cap Du Nord has won some decent handicaps over the years and has returned some good prize money for connections, but at the age of 10 it means he can run in races like this which is the Veterans' Chases and at this level I think he has a cracking chance.

His run last time out was poor, but it was definitely just a pipe opener for the season, similar to Strictlyadancer who used the same meeting as a prep run for his Cheltenham run on Friday which saw him run a good race into fourth. Cap Du Nord was weak in the market that day, almost giving away that it was a fitness/prep run and it could've been for this as the prize money isn't too shabby (£18k to the winner).

Regular jockey Jack Tudor has new ventures these days and is the main man for David Pipe, so he isn't on board Cap Du Nord, but we have Ellis Collier on board who is an apprentice associated with Christian Williams and claims 7lbs. When you count in the 7lb it put Cap Du Nord on a mark of 120 which is miles below his last winning mark of last year, which was 127 and that came in a Grade 3.

10yo's have good records in this type of race as they are the youngest horses in the race and often retain their ability better than the horses who are even older.

Aintree 2:00 – Tommy's Oscar 5/1 (1pt)

This is a new trip for Tommy's Oscar over fences, whether or not he'll be as good as he is over shorter that's up for debate but I think he's arguably the best horse in this race.

Hitman was 2nd in this race last year off top weight and has since finished 3rd at the Cheltenham Festival, but he has never won a Class 1 race which seems crazy considering his rating and the races we've seen him in over the last couple of years, but that puts doubts in my mind that he isn't quite top class. Tommy's Oscar put in a big performance at Kelso when carrying 12st to the win and beating some much lighter horses in convincing style.

Ann Hamilton won this race in 2020 with Nuts Well, so she knows what is required from a horse to win this. He is carrying a big weight today and it's a much tougher race than last time out, but there is plenty of encouragement that this trip will be fine for him as he was a decent PTP horse, winning just the once but being placed on numerous occasions, which shows he stays 3m to a decent level, so this intermediate trip might be ideal for him. His jumping is normally spot on, and I think he might be a cut above these.

My Drogo has to be mentioned as he was a nice prospect for fences a couple of years ago when bursting onto the hurdling scene with a Grade 1 victory at today's track, but he's had problems and his jumping as a chaser wasn't particularly great and off 687 days off the track, he might struggle when it gets serious, but there's no doubting that he might be well-handicapped off his current mark in this Grade 2 handicap.

Aintree 3:45 – Martator 16/1 (0.5pt EW)

Pembroke was one of Dan Skelton's hyped-up horses from last year but he didn't really produce what was really expected from him, he made a decent chasing debut and will be fitter for that, but I'm more than happy to take him on.

Martator is the first runner for Venetia Williams for the proper start of the new jumps season, she's not had a runner in a long time and she isn't one for the summer season so now her proper stable is coming out they have to be very respected, especially as the ground gets testing. This horse is making his first chase start for Venetia and he could be well-handicapped based on his form from his hurdle races in France where he was producing RPRs in the 130s and 140s, granted, he didn't make a great start over hurdles for Venetia when we saw him last season, but it's interesting they've switched him to fences off a decent handicap mark of 124 considering he was rated 142 when he first joined.

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