PAUL NICHOLLS tackles Aintree’s Grand National Festival confident of banging in a few winners.
The 13-time champion trainer enjoyed a fantastic Cheltenham and is back on Merseyside hunting more riches.
Betfair ambassador Nicholls previews all his day one and two runners below.
Day one – Thursday
13:45 – Stage Star
I was blown away by the way he won the Turners at Cheltenham with a finely judged ride by Harry Cobden.
He has plenty of boot, travelled well, jumped for fun and was going clear at the finish.
The extra week since the Festival is a big plus for Stage Star who seems in top order and worked really well on Tuesday morning.
Everyone keeps asking if our horses that performed so well at Cheltenham will be all right at Aintree.
I think they are fine, they are doing everything I’ve asked of them at home and I couldn’t be happier with them.
The only way to find out is to run them and I expect Stage Star to shine.
14:55 – Bravemansgame
The same comments apply to Bravemansgame who ran the race of his life in finishing second in the Gold Cup four weeks ago.
It was a hell of a race, as good a Gold Cup as you will see with an end to end gallop.
He was pinpoint accurate at his fences and was the only one to make a race of it with the winner Galopin Des Champs.
— ITV Racing (@itvracing) March 17, 2023
Galopin Des Champs wins the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup!
@CheltenhamRaces redemption!#ITVRacing | #CheltenhamFestival | @WillieMullinsNH | @PTownend pic.twitter.com/89qqOTJjhE
Bravemansgame looks tremendous, has been working really well and there is no sign of his having a hard race at the Festival.
I’m expecting another big run from him and would argue that if he is not at his best now I doubt he will be if we wait for Punchestown in two weeks time.
16:05 – Magic Saint
An experienced handicapper he has given my 17-year-old daughter Olive a lot of fun in Hunter Chases this spring and this race has been the target since they won decisively at Wincanton early last month.
Magic Saint is a sound jumper who loves to be on the pace and the trip of two miles, five furlongs should be ideal for him over the Aintree fences.
17:15 – Seeyouinmydreams
We have had 18 individual bumper winners this season and she was one of the most impressive when bolting up on her debut by 12 lengths at Newbury early last month.
Harry Cobden hadn’t sat on her at home but told me afterwards that he thought she would win because she gave him such a good feel on the way to the start.
If the occasion doesn’t get to her at Aintree she will run very well.
Oh she is good!
— Racing TV (@RacingTV) March 4, 2023
235,000gns purchase Seeyouinmydreams saunters home in the Visit Irish Store Sales With ITM Mares' Open National Hunt Flat Race @NewburyRacing.
She looks a snip at that price!@PFNicholls | @CobdenHarry pic.twitter.com/EPjMl1vvbv
Day two – Friday
13:45 – Complete Unknown
He was always going to be a chaser, has taken to fences like a natural this season and comes to Aintree on the back of a 16-length victory in a handicap at Kempton off a mark of 142.
He is progressing nicely and should be competitive in this Grade 1 with Gerri Colombe the one to beat.
14:20 – Irish Hill
He was on a roll until a blip at Cheltenham last time but I’m hopeful that the flatter nature of the track at Aintree will be in his favour ridden by Bryony Frost who won on him at Fakenham.
14:20 – Sonigino
He is improving all the time and we’ve deliberately kept him fresh since he won tidily for the third time this season at Huntingdon.
He’s another who seems suited by a flat track and he wouldn’t want the ground to turn too soft.
14:55 – Rubaud
He has won three times over hurdles this season, most recently at Kempton, and has earned this step up to a Grade 1 race.
Rubaud is a fine, big scopey type who loves bowling along up with the pace and will be going chasing next season.
14:55 – Tahmuras
His form has been smart this season until things didn’t go his way at Cheltenham in the Supreme Hurdle.
I’m not sure what happened that day but he seems in very good form at home and it’s encouraging that this track is much like Haydock where he won so impressively in November. The more rain the better for Tahmuras.
15:30 – Hitman
He put up arguably the finest performance of his career when third in the Grade 1 Ryanair Chase at Cheltenham a month ago which came after another decent run at Newbury.
After two quite hard races on the bounce we were deliberating whether to by-pass Aintree and keep him for Sandown.
But Hitman seems fine at home so we are rolling the dice again in the race in which he he was an excellent second to Fakir D’oudairies a year ago.
15:30 – Pic D’Orhy
He’s among my favourites and has been in fantastic form this season, winning three Grade 2 chases on the bounce before finishing second at Ascot to Shiskin who looked unbeatable that day.
We’ve deliberately kept him fresh for this race, he is in great shape and I think the track will suit him. Hopefully he has a really big chance.
16:05 – Il Ridoto
It has been a bit of a challenge to find the key to Il Ridoto who finally put it together when we fitted him with cheek pieces in the Paddy Power Handicap Chase at Cheltenham at the end of January.
They made a big difference and helped him concentrate as he beat Fugitif in a tight finish.
He was then raised 8lbs before keeping on to finish sixth in the Magners Plate at the Cheltenham Festival.
While Il Ridoto is on a high enough mark Harry Cobden is really looking forward to riding him over the National fences.
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