Aintree - Friday

2.00 Tangle Teaser Top Novices' Hurdle (2m) Grade 2

Darlan heads the field on the back of finishing 2nd in the Supreme. He defied all expectations that day by failing to travel with his usual fluency but then battling bravely up the hill. His jumping leaves a little to be desired and I would not want to be taking too short a price about him. Prospect Wells and Vulcanite head the opposition after finishing 5th and 10th in the Supreme with neither looking rock solid. This has tended to go to an ex flat racer coming straight here with Right Step looking the one with that profile. However, he has only had the one run and will need to improve to take this. If pushed, at the prices the one that makes most appeal is the Henderson trained Oscara Dara (10/1). He also has just the one run to his name but fairly bolted up from some half useful animals at Sandown last month. He jumped and travelled well although it is hard to know what to make of the form. He has been fragile but it might be that he gets the chance to fulfil his potential. It is slightly perplexing that Barry Geraghty passes him over because the one thing I am confident about is that Captain Conan has no chance. He was a fortunate winner of the Tolworth Hurdle but the form has worked out terribly and this sharp 2m on good ground is not going to suit. He looks a place lay.

2pts Place Lay Captain Conan at around 3.0 on Betfair

2.30 Mildmay Novices' Chase (3m1f) Grade 2

This looks to be between Champion Court, the Dipper winner and a fine second behind Sir Des Champs in the Jewson, and Silviniaco Conti, winner of the Grade 2 Rising Stars Novices' Chase and good second to Grands Crus in the Feltham. I am a big fan of both horses but preference is for the last named under conditions. He bypassed Cheltenham after disappointing in the Reynoldstown at Ascot. I am convinced that he is much better than that because he looked a non-stayer the way he stopped that day but stayed on strongly off a fast pace in the Feltham. He went from travelling well to running on empty very quickly and the impression was that something was amiss. Nicholls' horses were under a cloud at the time and he has been given a long break since then, arriving here a fresh horse. His stable seems to be in better form now and Silviniaco Conti is taken to build on his early promise as a chaser. I am unconvinced that Champion Court wants this 3m trip and his forcing tactics may leave him vulnerable at the finish. Solix is hard to fancy after a poor showing in the Jewson but may be capable of more. Join Together ran no sort of race in the RSA but this looks too sharp for him and I would struggle to give him any sort of chance. Yes Tom looks outclassed.

2pts Win Silviniaco Conti at best morning price (2/1 or bigger)

2pts Place Lay Join Together at around 2.5 on Betfair

3.05 John Smith's Melling Chase (2m4f) Grade 1

The Champion Chase winner, Finian's Rainbow, steps up in trip which connections say will suit. I am far from convinced because he was outstayed in the Arkle last season (admittedly when travelling keenly throughout), and was run out of it over 2m1f at Ascot in the Victor Chandler when looking the winner entering the straight. He might prove me wrong but at the price I am very happy to take him on. If the ground is genuinely good then Albertas Run would come right into the reckoning. If the rain stays away overnight and through tomorrow morning that could be the case. Anything softer and he is readily opposable so it is advisable to wait until near the off before committing. Poquelin and Kauto Stone represent Paul Nicholls and both arrive here fresher than most after being withdrawn at the start and falling at the first respectively at the Cheltenham Festival. Both would have a chance. Another who departed early in the Champion Chase is Wishfull Thinking. He was hugely impressive over course and distance last season and a reproduction of that effort would see him go close. However, he has not been in the same form this season and has to recapture his best. Forpadydeplasterer ran well for a long way in the Ryanair before weakening and this return to an easier track could see him to better effect. He has run well in this race in the past but in all probability he will find one or two too good yet again. Kalahari King was well beaten in the Ryanair but could not be entirely discounted. Pure Faith gave Albertas Run a run for his money in receipt of weight over course and distance back in October but has been disappointing since. The impression, both at the time and since, is that he was flattered by that result. 

Arriving at a selection is not easy because cases can be made for all of the field. I am keen to oppose the Champion Chaser but think the best way to attack the race is to lay him with so much uncertainty about where the challenge will come from. It would be no surprise to see a shock result so instead of trying to find the winner, I will settle for laying the favourite who I think will get beat. 

2pts Lay Finian's Rainbow at around 2.30 on Betfair

2pts Place Lay Finian's Rainbow at around 1.3 on Betfair

3.40 John Smith's Topham Chase (2m5f) Grade 3

I can see the argument for Little Josh in that he is a bold jumping front runner who won the Paddy Power off a mark of 146 in great style and runs here off 145. However, since a promising effort in the Argento Chase he has been most disappointing and it takes a leap of faith to back him at the price. Triangular has obvious claims after winning easily at Newbury last time but he might have won a bit too easily there and is hit with a 13lb rise. Always Waining seeks a hat-trick in the race but, as usual, comes here with little recent form to recommend him, and similar comments apply to another course specialist in Frankie Figg. Gonebeyondrecall finished 4th as a novice last year off a 6lb higher mark and has claims. Fabalu takes the eye on 10 stone but had a hard enough race just two weeks ago. However, nothing really catches the eye and I will be leaving this well alone. 

4.15 John Smith's Sefton Novices' Hurdle

Fingal Bay will be a warm order to gain compensation for his Cheltenham absence. He beat Simonsig in the Winter Novices' Hurdle at Sandown in December and that looks very strong form. However, I would be wary of reading too much into that because I am quite sure the flying grey was a different animal when running away with the Neptune at the Cheltenham Festival. Nevertheless, Fingal Bay remains unbeaten in 5 career starts and it will take a good one to lower his colours here. His chief opponent looks to be Cotton Mill who was in the process of running a fine race in the Neptune when trying to duck out at the 2nd last. He was travelling OK at the time but I find it impossible to believe that he would have threatened the easy winner. The step up to 3m promises to suit on the evidence of his battling Grade 2 success at Warwick, form which has been boosted since. The pair look a little way clear on the formbook and should have it between them. However, this is a race that is notorious for throwing up puzzling results so it is difficult and dangerous to be too confident. Cotton Mill is a decent opponent but it will be disappointing if Fingal Bay cannot keep his unbeaten record intact. 

4.50 John Smith's Daily Mirror Punters Club Handicap Hurdle (2m4f) Listed

A very tight and competitive handicap with just 15lbs separating top and bottom weight. The two that immediately catch the eye are It's A Gimme and Tour D'Argent. Both are novices who look to be on nice weights and I don't think there is much to split the pair and for that reason would favour the Nicky Henderson runner on the basis of price (5/1 versus 12/1). One that I like at a much bigger price is Saphir River. There are French form lines to suggest that a mark of 139 will be well within his compass should he handle the quicker conditions. He unseated at the 2nd in the Coral Cup but jumped every hurdle loose on his way to storming up the hill riderless. Having fancied him at Cheltenham I have to give him another chance here at 25/1. He has been well supported in from the 50s available first show and on Betfair too. 

1pt EW Tour D'Argent at 12/1 with Bet365 paying 5 places

1pt EW Saphir River at 25/1 with Bet365 paying 5 places

5.25 John Smith's Mares' Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race (2m1f) Listed

As you would expect there are a number of unexposed types heading into this race. The favourite is Call Me A Star who impressed me in the paddock at Sandown. She did well to win after being boxed in at a crucial stage. The opposition is hard to weigh up but she sets a fair standard.