Aintree Lucky 15 Tips for Day 2 – Friday 12th April (£1 Lucky 15 Returns £1145)

1:45 Aintree

Our first selection comes in the opener, the Grade 1 Mildmay Novices Chase over 3m1f.

The selection is HEART WOOD (9/2). A progressive sort that comes here fresh having skipped Cheltenham in favour of this. He was last seen powering clear to win a competitive handicap at the Dublin Racing Festival and he’s worthy of a try at this level. This isn’t the deepest Grade 1 by any stretch of the imagination and I think he can go close. He’s only 6 so he’s entitled to continue on an upward curve and his proven form on heavy ground is an obvious plus.

 

3:30 Aintree

We wait until 3:30 for our next selection and it comes in the fascinating renewal of the Grade 1 Melling Chase over 2m4f.

It’s JONBON (9/4) for me. A multiple Grade 1 winner over 2 miles who looks sure to benefit further from this step up to the intermediate trip. He impressed on seasonal return when bolting up in the Shloer Chase at Cheltenham. That was on heavy ground and he duly followed up in the Grade 1 Tingle Creek the following month. He jumped like a snooker table when second last time out but was only beaten a neck. I think he’ll jump better going a fraction slower over this trip and he’s a previous winner at Aintree which is an added plus.

 

4:05 Aintree

We are over the National fences for the next, the Topham Handicap Chase over 2m5f.

It can be a horses for courses and it’s last year’s winner BILL BAXTER (5/1) that I like here. He won this well last year with the front two pulling 13 lengths clear than the remainder of the field. He’s disappointed this season but as a result, he returns to this race off just a 1lb higher mark than last year. These fences can bring him back to life and it’s interesting that connections reach for first-time cheekpieces which can hopefully squeeze out further improvement. He’s only 8 so arguably his best days are still ahead of him and this gutsy grey can land the Topham again.

 

4:40 Aintree

Our final section in the Lucky 15 comes up in the Grade 1 Sefton Novices Hurdle over 3m.

I like SHANAGH BOB (9/2) in this. He’s completely unexposed and could be anything but what we’ve seen in two starts has been highly encouraging. He bolted up at Plumpton in a nothing race but then stepped up to 3m and won at Grade 2 level at Cheltenham. He still looked a bit raw when winning that and he would have certainly learnt a lot from it. The long straight of Aintree will suit well as he takes time to get going and then nearly caught him out at Cheltenham. I like that he skipped Cheltenham as coming here for a 3m soft ground Grade 1 novice hurdle after running in one last month has to be a negative. All of his market rivals have to overcome that and I like the fresh angle in here.

 

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