The Grand National meeting continues on Friday afternoon with another ultra-competitive seven-race card, featuring this years running of the Randox Topham Handicap Chase at 4:05. Livelovelaugh conquered the national fences in last season’s renewal, but who will take home this year’s prize? Our racing editor has highlighted a horse to follow in each of the seven contests on Friday. Check out their thoughts, tips and selections below, alongside 888‘s new customer offer of £30 In Free Bets + a £10 Casino Bonus.
SPEECH BUBBLE – 13:45 (20 Years Together, Alder Hey & Aintree Handicap Hurdle)
Dan Skelton’s Langer Dan is likely to be all the rage in the market after being heavily supported to return to winning ways at last month’s Cheltenham Festival. Brought down early on that particular occasion, the six-year-old had some useful form to his name last season, including landing the Grade 3 Imperial Cup at Sandown before chasing home the well-treated Galopin Des Champs in the Martin Pipe.
Langer Dan commands plenty of respect at the top of the betting, however, there is certainly no value in his current odds and it could pay to take a chance on SPEECH BUBBLE, who has done very little wrong in her opening three hurdle outings and receives plenty of weight towards the foot of the weights.
Runner-up on her opening start over hurdles at Lingfield last November, Noel Williams’ mare soon went one place better at Newbury on her very next start in novice company – her stablemate Largy G finished a distant third in that particular contest and has recently landed Grade 2 honours at the Berkshire track.
Pitched into Grade 2 company on her latest assignment at Sandown, Speech Bubble bumped into Harry Fry’s unbeaten mare Love Envoi, who subsequently landed the Ryanair Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival last month.
A mark of 130 still looks well within range on the evidence of those latest efforts and with improvement still to come on her fourth start over hurdles, Noel Williams’ talented mare rates a leading player and is taken to return to winning ways.
Back SPEECH BUBBLE here and Claim A Bet £10 – Get £40 Bonus
EL FABIOLO – 2:20 (Betway Top Novices’ Hurdle)
Jonbon will be expected to regain the winning thread after losing his unbeaten record behind stablemate and runaway Supreme Novices’ Hurdle winner Constitution Hill. The six-year-old certainly faced a difficult task after contesting the early pace with Dysart Dynamo and ultimately faded out of contention behind Michael Buckley’s imposing novice.
Trainer Nicky Henderson has won this contest five times since 2010 and although Jonbon is the standout form pick, he could be up against a very useful prospect in the form of Willie Mullins’ EL FABIOLO, who created a big impression on his stable debut at Tramore on New year’s Day.
Third on hurdling debut in Listed company at Auteuil back in September 2020, the Spanish Moon gelding made his eagerly anticipated debut for new connections at the start of the year. Returning from a 472-day absence, the five-year-old justified prohibited odds when readily getting off the mark on Irish soil, jumping fluently throughout the 2mile contest and outclassing his fourteen rivals to win by 13l at the line.
El Fabiola held preliminary entries in Grade 1 company at the Dublin Racing Festival and in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle soon after that impressive victory, and although the five-year-old failed to take up either engagement, it still underlined the regard he is evidently held in.
The quicker ground on Friday does pose a question mark, but Willie Mullins’ charge looks one to keep firmly on side and is clearly a horse with immense potential going forward.
Back EL FABIOLO here and Claim A Bet £10 – Get £40 Bonus
BRAVEMANSGAME – 2:55 (Betway Mildmay Novices’ Chase)
Only four runners head to post on Friday afternoon but despite the lack of numbers, there is certainly plenty of quality on show in what could turn out to be a very exciting contest.
L’Homme Presse has been transformed since switching to fences this season and after starting this campaign off a mark of 128, Venetia Williams’ unbeaten chaser now finds himself on 164. During that time, the seven-year-old has recorded five victories from five starts over the larger obstacles, culminating with a tremendous performance in the Brown Advisory at last month’s Cheltenham Festival.
Ahoy Senor was no match for L’Homme Presse in that aforementioned contest where costly jumping errors ultimately contributed to his downfall. Lucinda Russell’s stable star was a winner on this card 12 months ago when defeating Bravemansgame in the Sefton Novices’ Hurdle, however, he has since been swept aside this season by Paul Nicholls’ talented novice and will do well to turn the tables on either of the pair this Friday.
Paul Nicholls will be hoping his stars can shine across the week and will be expecting BRAVEMANSGAME to stretch his unbeaten record over the larger obstacles to five. A noticeable absentee from the Brown Advisory at last month’s Cheltenham Festival, the seven-year-old has developed into a top-class novice for connections this term and comes into Friday’s contest fresh.
Effortless victories at the start of the season at Newton Abbot and Haydock were followed by an emphatic performance in the Grade 1 Kauto Star on Boxing Day at Kempton, producing a slick jumping display and readily seeing off the challenge of former adversary Ahoy Senor to win by seven and a half lengths. Faced with a straightforward task on handicap debut at Newbury in February, Paul Nicholls’ star novice again jumped for fun out in front and gave weight and a beating to his three rivals.
We could be set for an enthralling race on Friday afternoon and whilst many punters will be divided on who to side with, Paul Nicholls’ charge gets the vote to come out on top and maintain his unbeaten record over fences.
Back BRAVEMANSGAME here and Claim A Bet £10 – Get £40 Bonus
FAKIR D’OUDAIRIES – 3:30 (Marsh Chase)
It’s going to take a smart performance to lower the colours of FAKIR D’OUDAIRIES, as Joseph O’Brien’s seven-year-old bids to follow up last season’s resounding 11l success.
After finishing third on his final start last season in the Punchestown Gold Cup, Fakir D’Oudairies returned this campaign with a wide-margin victory in the Grade 2 Clonmel Oil Chase. Subsequent dual Ryanair Chase winner Allaho proved too strong for the seven-year-old in back to back outings, including when finishing fourth behind Willie Mullins’ charge in the John Durkan at Punchestown last December.
However, Fakir D’Oudairies returned to winning ways earlier this year at Ascot, staying on best of all in the closing stages to see off the persistent challenge of Two For Gold in the Betfair Ascot Chase.
Connections have clearly decided to keep the triple Grade 1 winner fresh after missing the Cheltenham Festival and with question marks surrounding the majority of his opponents on Friday, he rates a worthy favourite and is difficult to oppose as he bids to follow up last year’s triumph.
Back FAKIR D’OUDAIRIES here and Claim A Bet £10 – Get £40 Bonus
FIVE STAR GETAWAY – 4:05 (Randox Topham Handicap Chase)
Trainer Christian Williams can do little wrong at present, and provided another remarkable training performance by saddling a 1-2 in the Scottish National at Ayr last weekend. The Glamorgan based trainer has enjoyed a productive campaign this year and will be confident FIVE STAR GETAWAY can add to that recent tally of winners.
The former winning pointer was unable to get off the mark over hurdles for connections a couple of seasons ago, but the eight-year-old certainly turned a corner for connections when sent over the larger obstacles last season, racking up a quickfire hat-trick in handicap contests at Wincanton, Sandown and Haydock over 2m4f.
An underwhelming return this season at Chepstow was soon followed by his fourth win over fences at Kempton over 3miles, staying on strongly in the closing stages off a mark of 130, he defeated subsequent Listed winner Fortescue and his talented stablemate Kitty’s Light.
His penultimate outing at Sandown behind course specialist Deise Aba and the progressive Le Milos was a solid effort in defeat, and although he ran below his best at Kempton when last seen, Christian Williams’ charge looks well treated off his current rating of 133 and it would be no surprise to see him bounce back in some style over the National fences.
Back FIVE STAR GETAWAY here and Claim A Bet £10 – Get £40 Bonus
BANBRIDGE – 4:40 (Cavani Menswear Sefton Novices’ Hurdle)
A few to condor in the Sefton Novices’ Hurdle and whilst the likes of Skytastic and Gelino Bello are both worth a second look, this can go the way of BANBRIDGE who impressed when landing the Martin Pipe at last month’s Festival and is expected to improve further now tackling 3miles for the first time.
The former bumper winner was quick to make his mark over hurdles last season for the yard, landing a maiden hurdle at Punchestown in May over 2miles before keeping on best of all over 2m4f to land a novice contest at Roscommon in taking fashion.
Joseph O’Brien’s six-year-old shaped in need of his seasonal return when finishing down the field at Leopardstown back over 2miles, but made no mistake on his next start at Navan, quickening away from Gordon Elliot’s Au Fleuron to land his third victory in five hurdle starts.
Reverting back to 2m4f, Banbridge posted a career-best when landing the Martin Pipe at the Cheltenham Festival, gamely seeing off the challenge of Lanzarote Hurdle winner Cobblers Dream by one and a half lengths.
Connections will expect Banbridge to relish a stamina test in time and given how strong he has been in the finish in his recent assignments on track, Joseph O’Brien’s six-year-old is the obvious choice and is difficult to oppose.
Back BANBRIDGE here and Claim A Bet £10 – Get £40 Bonus
WHIZZ KID – 5:15 (Park Palace Ponies Handicap Hurdle)
Dr Richard Newland continues to have his strong in fine form at present and it will be interesting to see if WHIZZ KIDD can continue his progression on handicap debut off a mark of 125.
A three-time winner on the flat when trained in Germany, the six-year-old came over to Britain with a lofty reputation and that was certainly the case as new connections decided to pitch their latest recruit into the deep end on hurdling debut in the Grade 1 Tolworth Novices’ Hurdle. Sent off at 40/1, Whizz Kidd was never in contention in the six-runner affair and ultimately finished tailed off.
Following wind surgery, the six-year-old reappeared in March in maiden company at Catterick with an authoritative success, jumping well in the main before clearing right away to win by 27l. Dr Richard Newland’s charge then faced a straightforward opportunity when bidding to follow up ay Ludlow back in novice company, and the improving six-year-old obliged at prohibited odds after comfortably making all by nine lengths.
A mark of 125 could prove lenient considering the regard he is held in by connections and although Friday’s handicap debut demands more from him, Whizz Kidd appears to be a very useful prospect for the yard and improvement should be forthcoming on just his third hurdle outing.
Back WHIZZ KIDD here and Claim A Bet £10 – Get £40 Bonus
Check out all the Grand National Betting Offers on this page
Sign up to 888sport and Claim £30 in Free Bets + a £10 Casino Bonus
Min deposit of £10 • A qualifying bet is a ‘real money’ stake of at least £10 • Min odds 1/2 (1.50) • Free Bets credited upon qualifying bet settlement and expires after 7 days • Free Bet stakes not included in returns • Deposit balance is available for withdrawal at any time • Withdrawal restrictions & Full T&C’s apply. gambleaware.org