I have highlighted five horses who could be worth a look at ahead of Aintree\u2019s Grand National meeting. I have split them across the three days.<\/p>\n
GIDLEIGH PARK (Manifesto Novices\u2019 Chase, Thursday, 13.45pm)<\/strong><\/p>\n Odds: 6\/1<\/strong><\/p>\n Having pulled up at Kempton due to a heart issue, GIDLEIGH PARK<\/strong> was firmly back on track when defeating Caldwell Potter at Windsor, and with the runner-up winning at the Cheltenham Festival since, there\u2019s good reason to think Harry Fry\u2019s star chaser will strut his stuff in Merseyside. The course and trip of the Manifesto should be right up his street, so he\u2019s one to keep an eye on later this week in the opening race of the fixture.<\/p>\n LIVE CONTI (4-Y-O Juvenile Hurdle, Thursday, 14.20pm)<\/strong><\/p>\n Odds: 8\/1<\/strong><\/p>\n Lulamba is expected to take plenty of beating in this race on the back of a creditable second in the Triumph Hurdle, but don\u2019t be surprised to see Dan Skelton\u2019s LIVE CONTI<\/strong> give him plenty to think about. Although the horse he beat on debut in France, Larzak, disappointed behind Nicky Henderson\u2019s charge at Cheltenham, I liked the way he made a winning start for this stable at Wetherby, winning hard held. This is a big jump in class, but he\u2019s well thought of by his handler, and could be the joker in the pack.<\/p>\n CHARISMA CAT (Nickel Coins NH Flat Race, Thursday, 17.15pm)<\/strong><\/p>\n Odds: 6\/1<\/strong><\/p>\n I am a big fan of Alan King\u2019s CHARISMA CAT<\/strong>, who has won three of her four starts and should be arriving here with four wins from four starts. She was really impressive in winning a Listed race at Sandown last time out and it\u2019s clear to see she has an enormous engine. This galloping flat track should play to her strengths and when she hits top gear, not many will be finishing better than her, so she\u2019s one for the shortlist this week.<\/p>\n BATTLE BORN LAD (Sefton Novices\u2019 Hurdle, Friday, 16.40pm)<\/strong><\/p>\n Odds: 8\/1<\/strong><\/p>\n I\u2019m really excited to see BATTLE BORN LAD<\/strong> take up his engagement in this staying contest. Mark Walford appears to have a top-class horse on his hands. This lightly-raced six-year-old placed in all three bumper starts and has won both of his hurdle outings. Firstly, when beating Wendigo at Hexham, who has won twice since, as well as finishing second to The New Lion in a Grade 1 event at Newbury.<\/p>\n He also finished an unlucky fifth in the Albert Bartlett Novices\u2019 Hurdle, so the form is extremely strong. The selection then proved that success to be no fluke by dominating a Grade 2 event at Haydock from the front, scoring by over five lengths. He\u2019s been saved for this race since, and with this course suiting front-runners, he\u2019s an outsider worthy of consideration.<\/p>\n STUMPTOWN (Grand National, Saturday, 16.00pm)<\/strong><\/p>\n Odds: 8\/1<\/strong><\/p>\n I have long thought of STUMPTOWN<\/strong> as a potential Grand National candidate. Even more so now after his excellent win in the cross country at the Cheltenham Festival when carrying top weight. He\u2019s generally a superb jumper and stays all day. I just love everything about him and have been following him all season. Gavin Cromwell is having an excellent season and I have no issue with his mark. Many said he couldn\u2019t win at Cheltenham with all that weight and he did and there\u2019s room for improvement, so he\u2019s definitely one to keep in mind for the big race on Saturday.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" I have highlighted five horses who could be worth a look at ahead of Aintree\u2019s Grand National meeting. I have split them across the three days. GIDLEIGH PARK (Manifesto Novices\u2019 Chase, Thursday, 13.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":81,"featured_media":54857,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[376],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-57218","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-racing"],"yoast_head":"\n