12 runners have been entered for next Thursday’s Grade 1 Aintree Bowl Chase, run on day one of the Grand National Festival in Liverpool. Among those is Cheltenham Gold Cup runner-up Gerri Colombe, who was a valiant second to the great Galopin Des Champs at Prestbury Park last month.
Gordon Elliott’s star chaser won the Grade 1 Mildmay Novices’ Chase at the meeting last year with total authority and connections will fancy his chances of confirming himself the elite staying chaser in the absence of Willie Mullins’ two-time Gold Cup winner.
However, one name who skipped Cheltenham is Shishkin, the defending champion in this race. He battled back to deny Ahoy Senor, also entered, in this a year ago and will be on the comeback trail like so many of Nicky Henderson’s string who were beleaguered by injuries and illness over Cheltenham. King George winner Hewick and Ryanair Chase hero Protektorat are other notables in the field, as is the novice Corbetts Cross, who so impressively claimed the National Hunt Chase.
Cheltenham Absentees Headline Aintree Hurdle
Champion Hurdle runner-up Irish Point will also be hoping to give Robcour and Gordon Elliott an Aintree victory having been second in a Cheltenham championship race, but the headline acts in the field are a pair of runners who skipped Cheltenham.
Bob Olinger has had this as a plan since finishing second to State Man in the Irish Champion Hurdle at the Dublin Racing Festival. The 2m4f trip is his optimum and Henry De Bromhead’s team have been targeting this with confidence. Third in that race was Impaire Et Passe, whose season has not got to plan, but may finally be able to show off his ability in these conditions, and out of the shadow of his more illustrious stablemate.
Coral Cup winner Langer Dan and Champion Hurdle third Luccia are also in the mix.
Grade 1 Action from the Very Start
The opening two races on Thursday are also Grade 1s, with the 2m4f Manifesto Novices’ Chase kicking things off. 18 currently possess entries, with the greater time period between Cheltenham and Aintree potentially a factor in many connections’ thoughts. Corbetts Cross is also entered here, though the storyline revolves around a rematch between Turners Novices’ Chase one-two Grey Dawning and Ginny’s Destiny. Other Grade 1 winners in Il Etait Temps and Nickle Back may take part too.
Meanwhile, 13 juvenile hurdlers have been entered for the Anniversary 4-Y-O Juvenile Hurdle. Sir Gino was a late absentee from Cheltenham due to the Henderson team’s spate of withdrawals, though Triumph Hurdle runner-up Kargese will not make it easy for him to gain compensation. The unbeaten Kalif Du Berlais is set to represent Paul Nicholls, who has won the race more than any other trainer on four occasions.
Grand National Runners – Panda Boy Now Guaranteed a Run for Brassil
The defections of two Willie Mullins-trained runners in Classic Getaway and Bronn has ensured that Martin Brassil’s Panda Boy, a best-priced 14/1 for the Aintree showpiece, is now guaranteed a run in the 2024 Grand National. The eight-year-old was provisionally number 35, with the field reduced to a maximum of 34 for this year’s renewal….
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