The Badger Beer Handicap Chase and Grand Sefton Handicap Chase are the highlights on Saturday and Matty Sutcliffe has tips in both among four selections for you to follow on Saturday.
12:55 Aintree – Pertemps Network Handicap Hurdle (Pertemps Hurdle Series Qualifier) (GBB Race) (Class 2) – Impose Toi 8/1 1pt WIN
As ever with these Pertemps contests, half the battle is deciphering which of the seven runners will be ‘trying’, whether that be for the main event in March or a prep before going back chasing and the likes of Kyntara, Katate Dori and Crebily can all be crossed off in that respect.
IMPOSE TOI shoulders the burden of top-weight but he’s the type who could develop into a graded staying hurdler if improving for this step up in trip and he’s related to a three mile winner in Floeuer. His form fresh reads 121112 with the latter coming when second to Jimmy Du Seuil in the Coral Cup, and that’s by far the best form on offer here.
1:10 Wincanton – Read Meg Nicholls’ Blog At betmgm.co.uk Handicap Chase (GBB Race) (Class 3) (4yo+ 0-130) – Bourbali 11/4 2pt WIN
Top-weights are 6/10 in this contest and BOURBALI can take advantage of this drop in class. The Sinndar gelding is a respectable 6/36 in his career with five of those wins coming around either sharp or right handed tracks so this return to Wincanton can suit, with his career high RPR of 135 coming over C&D two seasons ago when a three lengths second to 15/8F Pilsdon Pen giving away 18lbs.
His form figures in class three company read 11322PU1261333 (4 wins from 13 starts, 7 places) and his latest class three contest came in a 0-140 at Kempton on seasonal debut last month when weakening only late on to be beaten nine lengths, finishing six lengths behind Gabriel’s Getaway who franked that form when a 3/4L second to Teddy Blue in a G3 Handicap at Ascot last weekend, now rated 9lbs higher than Kempton.
Bourbali drops slightly in class to a 0-130, and the yard won this off top-weight with Kauto The King in 2021.
2:40 Aintree (Grand National) – William Hill Grand Sefton Handicap Chase (GBB Race) (Class 2) (6yo+) – Excello 10/1 1pt EW 5 places
Despite being beaten an eventual 28 lengths, EXCELLO ran a blinder in the Topham when a well backed selection for the column. He travelled into the race sweetly from rear and took to the Grand National fences with aplomb, and had he not got the second last all wrong I think he could easily have gone close.
His form tapered off after beating 5/6F Solo in the Howden Graduation Chase at Ascot in 2023, spending the majority of last season in novice hurdles. He still held his form for the most part there, but he looked to be back at the level of his earlier promise when a length fourth over fences at Sandown in March.
The drop back in trip appeared to suit until that blunder in the Topham two out, and combine his Auteuil experience with that run in the Topham I’d expect him to show up well here to enhance his proven record fresh (2132).
3:30 Wincanton – Badger Beers Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap) (GBB Race) (Class 1) (4yo+) – Threeunderthrufive 11/4 2pt WIN
A disappointing renewal of the Badger Beers Handicap can go to the 2023 runner up THREEUNDERTHRUFIVE, who was only beaten three lengths by the well fancied Blackjack Magic with that pair pulling well clear of the third Frodon.
While he does have welfare to prove having pulled up the last twice, he’s had wind surgery in the interim as he did prior to his second here. His form figures since then read 221032 prior to pulling up in the Grand National with the sole blip coming in the Bet 365 at Sandown, which he again blew out in last season. He’s proven to win off top-weight having landed the Swinley in 2024 and he was only beaten a nose in that race again off top-weight last season by Victtorino.
He’s a pound lower than that effort, and his overall form is significantly stronger than anything his rivals have achieved. If the wind surgery has brought him on again, then it would be a surprise not to see him go one better in this race this time around.
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