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I HAD two winners last Saturday with High Bridge (3/1) and Old Guard (7/1) to keep the column in a very tidy profit for the year.
Hopefully there are more to come today because it's Becher Chase day at Aintree which is one of my favourite days of the year.
Get yourself a drink and settle down in front of the TV to watch these high class jumpers battle it out over the Grand National fences at Aintree in both the Becher Chase (1.30) and the Grand Sefton Chase (3.10). It is one of the great spectacles in British sport. There is also some top class stuff from Sandown including the fascinating Henry VIII Novices Chase where some of the best chasing prospects face off over two miles. I'm not having a bet in that one but it should be a cracking contest.
1.30 Aintree
Blaklion is a short-priced favourite for this one which is understandable given his excellent performance in the Grand National where he didn't quite stay the distance. This shorter trip should be ideal for him but so much can go wrong and I don't fancy a bet on him at the prices. The one I do quite fancy is an Irish raider by the name of WESTERNER POINT.
He will have no problem at all with the heavy ground and to me he looks like he still has some potential improvement to come.
He will have the speed to go with them early on, being a winner over 2 miles, but also looks as though he will have the stamina required to stay on for the 3 miles 2 furlongs today, particularly given the low weight he is carrying.
2.20 Sandown
EXITAS returns to race over hurdles here and is very interesting given his recent form over fences. He is racing from a lower handicap mark and given the current form he is in I expect him to take advantage and go very close.
He looks a nice each way bet at the prices and Paddy Power are paying 4 places for each way bets so we'll try to take advantage of that.
3.30 Sandown
The old boy HOUBLON DES OBEAUX is now 10 years old but he looked like he was still in love with the game last time out in a classy veteran's chase. Although he is racing against younger horses here there aren't many who jump out at me as obvious improvers and with the conditions ideal for Houblon I can see him going really close.
Recommendations:
- 1.30 Aintree – Westerner Point – 2pt each way at 12/1 with William Hill, Ladbrokes and others
- 2.20 Sandown – Exitas – 2pt each way at 10/1 with Paddy Power (paying 4 places)
- 3.30 Sandown – Houblon Des Obeaux – 2pt each way at 10/1 with Ladbrokes
