Dan Skelton improved his already impressive record in handicaps at the major meetings when Gwennie May Boy continued his rapid improvement in the William Hill Handicap Hurdle at Aintree.
Having won the Grand Annual and Coral Cup at Cheltenham with Unexpected Party and Langer Dan respectively, Skelton plundered another valuable prize on Merseyside with Kateira on Friday.
Last year’s winner West Balboa appeared the stable’s first string in the Grand National day curtain-raiser, going off a well-backed 11-4 favourite under the trainer’s brother, Harry, but this time around had to make do with minor honours behind a stablemate on a steep upward trajectory.
Gwennie May Boy, who had won both of his first two races since moving to Skelton from Jonjo O’Neill’s yard, looked like he had just joined in at the second-last under Charlie Todd and the 9-2 shot scooted clear from the final obstacle to score by seven and a half lengths from Lord Snootie.
“I have to say, I genuinely thought West Balboa would win, especially after Kateira won yesterday as there was nothing separating them when they last ran together at Kempton,” said Skelton.
“I am astounded at the improvement in this horse (Gwennie May Boy). He’s only a six-year-old and walking round beforehand I thought he looked a bit light and might be over the top, but what do I know – it’s clearly how he likes to be.
“I’ve not had him all that long and I hadn’t even worked him out before I ran him at Bangor, I just ran him. He won so well there I thought there’s a £100,000 race at Uttoxeter so we better go for that and then there was this here, it was just obvious.
“He has taken me by surprise as he works terrible at home, but he saves it all for the track and he’s just got on a roll. He’s been a remarkable little horse.”
The Windward Islands Volcanoes moved back to the top of the table in the 2024 West Indies Championship thanks to a 158-run win over the West Indies Academy on day three at Coolidge on Friday.
The Volcanoes started the day 165-7 off 60 overs and batted beautifully to reach 275 off 93 overs.
The recovery was thanks to handy knocks from Sunil Ambris (41), Shamar Springer (47) and Ryan John (20).
Joshua Bishop finished with 4-78 from 38 overs while Ashmead Nedd took 3-65 from 32 overs.
Needing 280 to win, the Academy were swiftly bundled out for just 121 off 34.4 overs.
Teddy Bishop was the only Academy batsman to produce a meaningful score with 47 as Springer took4-30 from 9.4 overs to complete a fine all-round performance.
Full Scores: Windward Islands Volcanoes 162 off 48.3 overs (Shamar Springer 31, Stephan Pascal 26, Joshua Bishop 4-24, Johann Layne 3-30, Kadeem Alleyne 2-20) & 275 off 93 overs (Alick Athanaze 89, Shamar Springer 47, Kavem Hodge 41, Sunil Ambris 41, Joshua Bishop 4-78, Ashmead Nedd 3-65)
West Indies Academy 158 all out off 39.4 overs (Carlon Bowen Tuckett 36*, Kadeem Alleyne 35, Gilon Tyson 5-50, Ryan John 2-40, Shamar Springer 2-65) & 121 all out off 34.4 overs (Teddy Bishop 47, Shamar Springer 4-30, Darel Cyrus 2-23, Ryan John 2-29, Gilon Tyson 2-36)
At Sabina Park, the Jamaica Scorpions will need a further 296 runs to win with eight wickets in hand on Saturday.
The Scorpions started the day 153-9 off 61 overs and the Harpy Eagles needed just one delivery to bring the innings to a close giving them a 271-run first innings lead.
Guyana then batted again, reaching 147-4 off 35.3 overs before declaring and leaving the hosts needing 418 for victory.
Captain Tevin Imlach followed up his unbeaten 101 in the first innings with 44 in the second innings while Kevin Sinclair made 36 against 2-39 off 11.3 overs from Derval Green.
The Scorpions then ended day three 121-2 off 43 overs with Kirk McKenzie (39*) and Captain Brandon King (13*) at the crease. Debutant Javaughn Buchanan earlier made 39.
Full Scores: Guyana Harpy Eagles 424 all out off 116.3 overs (Kemol Savory 155, Tevin Imlach 101*, Gudakesh Motie 56, Ojay Shields 4-103, Peat Salmon 3-117) & 147-4 off 35.3 overs (Tevin Imlach 44, Kevin Sinclair 36, Derval Green 2-39)
Jamaica Scorpions 153 all out off 61.1 overs (Brandon King 32, Ramaal Lewis 24, Veerasammy Permaul 5-55, Isai Thorne 2-19) & 123-2 off 43 overs (Javaughn Buchanan 39, Kirk McKenzie 39*)
At the Sir Frank Worrell Memorial Ground in St. Augustine, the Combined Campuses and Colleges will need a further 382 runs to win with nine wickets in hand on Saturday’s fourth and final day.
CCC started day three 109-5 off 36 overs and ended up making 238 all out off 77 overs thanks 56* from Yannick Ottley.
The Trinidadian bowling effort was led by Anderson Phillip who took 5-71 from 22 overs.
The Red Force then batted a second time and made 95-2 off 17 overs before declaring with a lead of 448.
First innings centurions Jason Mohammed and Amir Jangoo led the way for the Red Force once again with 41* and 34*, respectively.
At stumps on day three, the CCC reached 67-1 off 21 overs with Damel Evelyn (43*) and Zishan Motara (0*) at the crease.
Full Scores: Trinidad & Tobago Red Force 591-7 declared off 123 overs (Amir Jangoo 218, Jason Mohammed 157, Joshua Da Silva 79, Amari Goodridge 5-92) & 95-2 off 17 overs (Jason Mohammed 41*, Amir Jangoo 34*)
Combined Campuses & Colleges 238 all out off 77 overs (Yannick Ottley 56*, Kamil Pooran 40, Anderson Phillip 5-71, Bryan Charles 2-30, Terrance Hinds 2-43) & 67-1 off 21 overs (Damel Evelyn 43*)
At Queen’s Park Oval, the Leeward Islands Hurricanes trail the Barbados Pride by 156 runs following on with nine wickets remaining heading into day four on Saturday.
The Leewards entered day three 97-1 off 37 overs with Keacy Carty (67*) and Mikyle Louis (25*) at the crease.
The pair added a further 83 before Louis became the day’s first wicket for 52 in the 64th over. His innings came off a mammoth 189 balls and included only four fours.
Carty continued on to post a formidable 127 off 233 balls including 12 fours.
Jewel Andrew also hit 53 as the hurricanes ended up being bowled out for 288 off 93.2 overs.
Roston Chase took 3-47 from 14 overs for the Pride while Shaquille Cumberbatch took 3-48 from 15 overs.
Following on, the Leewards ended day three 98-1 off 32.1 overs with Louis on 45*. Kieran Powell was the lone wicket to fall for a 76-ball 52.
Full Scores: Barbados Pride 542-9 declared off 143 overs (Kraigg Brathwaite 189, Roston Chase 127, Zachary McCaskie 101, Rakheem Cornwall 5-132)
Leeward Islands Hurricanes 288 all out off 93.2 overs (Keacy Carty 127, Jewel Andrew 53, Mikyle Louis 52, Roston Chase 3-47, Shaquille Cumberbatch 3-48) & 98-1 off 32.1 overs (Kieran Powell 52, Mikyle Louis 45*)
Merseyside Police said eight men were arrested at Aintree on Friday, including four on suspicion of affray and two on suspicion of assault.
A fashionable crowd totalling 44,687 enjoyed an afternoon on what was Ladies Day, but the meeting also saw fighting break out.
Well-dressed racegoers flocked to the Liverpool course for the second day of the Randox Grand National Festival, with celebrities including Olympian Sam Quek among those enjoying the event.
But the day also saw the arrests of a group of men after reports of a fight. Merseyside Police said four men had been arrested on suspicion of affray and two men were held on suspicion of assault after an altercation outside the Princess Royal Stand at 2.25pm.
Another man was detained on suspicion of a drug offence after being searched near the main entrance to the racecourse, while an eighth man was arrested for being drunk and disorderly.
The force also said three drones had been seized after being flown in a restricted area.
Aintree officials passed on their condolences after Giovinco and Pikar suffered fatal injuries in their respective races.
A spokesperson said: “During our first race of the day, Giovinco fell at the last fence and was immediately attended to by our expert veterinary professionals. After assessment, sadly they concluded the necessary course of action for the horse’s welfare was to put him to sleep.
“Pikar sadly passed away following a fall at the second-last hurdle in the last race of the day, having also been attended to on course by our veterinary team. Our heartfelt condolences are with the connections of both horses.”
Last year, the National itself was delayed by about 15 minutes after activists gained access to the track, leading to more than 100 arrests.
Merseyside Police has warned it will deal “robustly” with any incidences of “anti-social behaviour, hate crime, disorder and other criminal activity” at the racecourse and punters have been subject to security checks, including bag searches.
About 80,000 people are expected to attend the course on Saturday.
With a new president to be installed at the helm of the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) on Saturday, Selby Browne, president of the Veteran Footballers Foundation believes it represents an opportunity to reset football in the twin island republic and the wider Caribbean.
The new administration to be led by either Kieron Edwards of ‘Team Progressive’ or Colin Wharfe of ‘Team Transformation’ unit, will mark first self-governed TTFA in more than four years. This as William Wallace's administration was removed months after he was elected in November 2019, as FIFA intervened and installed its Normalisation Committee in March 2020, citing financial concerns.
That Normalisation Committee remained in charge until late last month when it made way for the TTFA to elect a new administration. For Browne, who withdrew from the presidential race, football is the catalyst for re-engineering the national socio-structure and delivering economic benefits by creating jobs in sport throughout all communities, with the establishment of a sport industry, both in T&T and the wider Caribbean.
He recalled that Trinidad and Tobago is one of four Caribbean countries to have participated in the FIFA World Cup Finals competition, the other three being Cuba in 1938, Haiti in 1974, and Jamaica in 1998. T&T participated in 2006 and it is Browne's hope that they will make the next global showpiece in 2026.
"It is my view this election is two years later than the ideal time required to successfully prepare for the largest football competition, the FIFA World Cup 2026, to be hosted in the CONCACAF for the first time since 1994. The TTFA election will determine the Executive to restructure and develop football in Trinidad and Tobago, while urgently redoubling much required initiatives to ensure qualification for the 2026 World Cup," Browne said in an opinion piece recently published in the T&T Express.
"Restructuring by a new TTFA is needed in order to develop the best possible product on the football field, creating wider participation, training and development, from grassroots upwards. Highly competitive community leagues, strong well-structured and supported community league teams competing within the zonal level are also necessary so as to provide attractive inter-zonal competitions, all providing the base for the establishment of a privately-owned Trinidad and Tobago national professional league at the top of the football pyramid," he added.
That said, Browne pointed out two critical recommendations for the new TTFA executive, the first being the appointment of an independent Constitution Committee to review the Articles forwarded by the TTFA Constitution Committee, while the other involves hosting a member and stakeholder consultation to review and contribute to the further development of the strategic plan.
"For those of us committed to the development of football in Trinidad and Tobago, we fully understand the need to secure the unequivocal support of the unified TTFA membership to achieve the desired goal. For while the goal is quite easily outlined, there is no short cut, quick fix, or magic wand. Only dedicated can address the large task to be undertaken, which will demand all hands-on-deck in the new TTFA," Browne stated.
Dancing City strutted his way to a cosy success in the Cavani Sartorial Menswear Sefton Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree.
A surprise Grade One winner at the Dublin Racing Festival in February, Willie Mullins’ seven-year-old was third when upped to three miles for the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.
Paul Townend’s mount was placed alongside fellow Joe and Marie Donnelly-owned runner Shanagh Bob as the duo tracked the steady pace set by Albert Bartlett runner-up The Jukebox Man and Pertemps second Kyntara.
The tempo was increased turning for home and as Kyntara began to retreat it was Dancing City who appeared in The Jukebox Man’s slipstream travelling menacingly.
Townend stalked his prey down to the final flight, with the rider simply having to keep the 4-1 winner up to his work in the closing stages as the gelding kept on for a five-and-a-half-length triumph, reversing Cheltenham form with The Jukebox Man who bravely held on for second.
Kyntara took a heavy fall at the last, but was thankfully able to walk away.
Arizona Cardinal prevented a perfect Grand National rehearsal for Paul Townend when flying home in a thrilling conclusion to the Randox Supports Race Against Dementia Topham Handicap Chase.
A typically great sight as a packed field tackled the Grand National course, there were plenty in with chances as they approached the final fence.
Townend, who partners I Am Maximus in Saturday’s main event, headed to the elbow in front though and was travelling well aboard the Willie Mullins-trained James Du Berlais.
However, Stuart Edmunds’ Arizona Cardinal was keeping on gamely up the run-in under Ciaran Gethings.
With the stride of the Closutton challenger shortening in the dying strides, Arizona Cardinal clawed his way to the front to score at odds of 20-1, securing a length verdict at the line. Kandoo Kid took third with Celebre D’Allen a short head back in fourth.
Arizona Cardinal was realising a long-term plan for Edmunds and owners the Oakman Racing Club.
The trainer said: “You couldn’t quite believe it was happening to be honest.
“It is a massive emotion as the horse didn’t have it easy at the beginning of the season with a lung infection. It took a while for him to get over that, but he is a lovely horse and an absolute gentleman. It’s a massive team effort.
“It was seven or eight months ago when we started looking at this race, mainly because we thought his jumping was superb. We took him down to Lambourn to have a pop over the National fences and he was class and I don’t think he’s made a semblance of a mistake today.
“I thought he was beat and you’d be silly if you didn’t think he was beat, but the fact that he stays three miles has helped him on the soft ground.”
On a possible future tilt at the Grand National, Edmunds added: “He’d jump round, quite whether he’d get that trip (I’m not sure). We might try to stretch him to the Becher Chase and give it a try.
“He’s obviously relished the fences.”
What has already been a special couple of days in Liverpool for owner JP McManus has the potential to be even greater as he can look forward to five runners in the Randox Grand National.
His famous green and gold silks have been carried to victory four times in the first two days, and he celebrated an incredible Grade One treble on Friday.
Having watched Inothewayurthinkin and Iroko provide him with a one-two in the Mildmay Novices’ Chase, Mystical Power, a son of Galileo and the Champion Hurdle winner Annie Power went one better than at Cheltenham in the Top Novices’ Hurdle.
However, he was especially pleased to see Jonbon, denied a run at the Cheltenham Festival due to the cloud hanging over Nicky Henderson’s yard, land the Melling Chase.
“Days like these are very special so you’ve got to celebrate and enjoy them,” said McManus.
“Jonbon winning meant a lot because it has been a trying time for Nicky over the past two months so to see him up there, you could see it was special to him.”
McManus has been lucky enough to win the National twice already, firstly when providing Sir Anthony McCoy with his only success, at the 15th attempt, on Don’t Push It, and then he watched Rachael Blackmore create history on Minella Times in 2021.
“I don’t think there is any race like the Grand National. From being a kid I always had a bet in the National, no matter how old you are it is the one race everybody watched,” said McManus.
“If you go to the local hurling club or wherever, they’d all know who won the Grand National.
“Look at AP (McCoy), it took him a long time to win it but I know how much it meant to him when he did, I’m just surprised these days he doesn’t say he should have won it twice!”
Despite having won all there is to win in racing, the former bookmaker still admits to getting excited about the famous race.
“I’ve been coming to Aintree since 1976, Rag Trade I think, I may have missed one in between and the covid one,” he said.
“It’s an unbelievable race, the National, you think about it 12 months before and try to think if you’ve one good enough to run in it.
“We run five tomorrow but hopefully we’ve one real one, I hope.
“I’ve had a little on Limerick Lace at 25-1 each-way because I thought that was a big price, but if my life depended on it I think I Am Maximus is the one. Willie (Mullins) said we’re going to try to win the Grand National and then the Gold Cup!”
Caldwell Potter, who in February became the most expensive National Hunt horse ever sold at public auction after fetching €740,000, makes his eagerly-anticipated debut for Paul Nicholls in the Turners Mersey Novices’ Hurdle on Grand National day at Aintree.
Having impressed in Grade One company at Leopardstown over the Christmas period, the six-year-old was always going to be the star attraction among 29 lots to go under the hammer at the dispersal sale of prominent owners Andy and Gemma Brown at a Tattersalls Ireland sale at Fairyhouse.
Former trainer Gordon Elliott did his best to keep hold of the grey, but Caldwell Potter was eventually knocked down to bloodstock agent Anthony Bromley, who later confirmed he had been bought of an ownership group that includes Sir Alex Ferguson John Hales, Ged Mason and Peter Done.
With Nicholls soon ruling out an appearance at the Cheltenham Festival, the son of Martaline will head to Merseyside with high expectations as he looks to justify his price tag.
Chief among Caldwell Potter’s rivals is a former stablemate in Brighterdaysahead.
The five-year-old was considered by some as one of the bankers of the week in the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham, but had to make do with the silver medal behind Jeremy Scott’s Golden Ace.
Elliott is adamant Brighterdaysahead was not seen to best effect in the Cotswolds and is hoping compensation awaits.
“We were disappointed to see her beaten in the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival. It was a mess of a race, Jack (Kennedy) and Paul (Townend, riding Jade De Grugy) were riding to beat each other and let the winner get away on them. It was a mess,” Elliott told Attheraces.com.
“The longer trip is going to suit her well and hopefully she can get back on track. We’ve made no secret of the regard we hold her in.”
The Cullentra handler has a second string to his bow in Staffordshire Knot, who was sold at the same dispersal sale for €510,000 but remains in his care having been bought by Gigginstown House Stud.
The six-year-old has since been beaten at odds-in in a Grade Three at Thurles, but Elliott is expecting an improved performance at Aintree.
He added: “Staffordshire Knot didn’t jump well enough and found the track a bit sharp for him at Thurles last time. He’s a lot better than that and I’m hopeful of a good run.”
Willie Mullins saddles Jimmy Du Seuil and Ile Atlantique, second and third respectively behind Closutton star Ballyburn in the Gallagher Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham.
Mahon’s Way (Henry de Bromhead), Esprit Du Potier (Lucinda Russell), Bugise Seagull (Charlie Longsdon) and Josh The Boss (Nigel Twiston-Davies) complete the field.
Jonbon took the step up in trip in his side as he roared back to his best with a brave success in the My Pension Expert Melling Chase at Aintree.
Nicky Henderson’s eight-year-old has been campaigned solely at two miles so far over fences and won both the Shloer Chase and Tingle Creek in the early stages of this campaign.
However, a narrow reverse in the rearranged Clarence House was followed by missing the Champion Chase at the Cheltenham Festival as Henderson effectively shut down his operation on account of the poor stable form.
Trying two and a half miles for the first time, Jonbon (11-10 favourite) travelled supremely in the hands of Nico de Boinville, with Jack Kennedy keen to make this a stiff stamina test sending Conflated to the lead where he was closely shadowed by Pic D’Orhy and Minella Drama.
Jonbon and Protektorat were always hot on that trio’s tail and as Kennedy continued to pour on the coal aboard Conflated down towards two out, Jonbon loomed menacingly with Protektorat staying on strongly.
Nico de Boinville edged Jonbon to a narrow advantage jumping the last and the Seven Barrows star pulled out all the stops as he kept on right to the line to hold off the game Conflated, with Protektorat back in third after a thrilling conclusion to the Grade One event.
The Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League (CPL) and the University of the West Indies (UWI) Faculty of Sport have expanded their hugely successful internship programme for the 2024 tournament which gets underway on August 29.
Now in its eighth year, the programme will this season have 18 places available for students to study for a three credit fully accredited UWI Sports Marketing course. Those students will also be given the opportunity to put the skills they have learned into practice as part of the CPL’s marketing team with an internship at games throughout the 2024 tournament.
The programme has seen dozens of young people across the Caribbean get a fully integrated internship with the CPL team, with several of those interns then securing ongoing paid positions with the tournament.
This year's edition of the tournament will have matches in Antigua & Barbuda, Barbados, Guyana, St Kitts & Nevis, Saint Lucia and Trinidad & Tobago. There will be opportunities for intern in all of those countries as well as the academic Sports Marketing aspect of the course, which is facilitated via online classes delivered by the University of the West Indies.
Chris Watson, Republic Bank CPL’s Head of Marketing, spoke highly about the programme's success.
“We have had some outstanding young people take part in the internship programme over the years and it has been really pleasing to see many of these interns go on to have paid jobs within the CPL. More than this, all those who have taken part have had a great insight into what it takes to put on a world class cricket tournament and entertainment product. We look forward to welcoming the 2024 cohort when we get underway in August," Watson said.
Meanwhile, Dr Akshai Mansingh, Dean of the UWI Faculty of Sport, echoed similar sentiments.
"We noticed that the interns previously partaking in the programme were mainly university students from the region and beyond. This expansion to offer a three-credit elective will allow them to get credits for the programmes they are pursuing, while gaining valuable experience in the largest sporting event in the region," Mansingh shared.
Applications are now open for those who are interested in taking part in the programme and you can apply via this link.
Mystical Power fended off the renewed challenge of Firefox to win the TrustATrader Top Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree.
Trained by Willie Mullins and ridden by Mark Walsh, Mystical Power has long carried plenty of expectation as a son of Galileo out of Champion Hurdle winner Annie Power.
He came close to emulating his dam as a Festival winner when finishing second in last month’s Supreme and finally graduated to Grade One glory here.
Walsh was happy to settle in the pack through the early stages as Lookaway raced to the fore, but with three to jump, Mystical Power (11-10 favourite) was clearly travelling best of all.
He took it up before jumping the last from Firefox and while that rival battled back gamely on the run to the line, Mystical Power was half a length too good.
Kateira landed a vital blow in Dan Skelton’s quest for a first trainers’ championship when romping home in the William Hill Handicap Hurdle at Aintree.
Second in Grade One company over track and trip 12 months ago, the seven-year-old has always possessed plenty of class and produced a performance full of quality to register a one-and-three-quarter-length success.
Having seen off the challenge of long-time front-runner Inthewaterside she kept on gamely to the line as Grade One course winner Jango Baie gave chase in vein.
Nicky Henderson’s runner can perhaps count himself an unlucky loser as he adds more evidence to the Seven Barrows resurgence case, but the 5-1 co-favourite was strong at the finish to give the Skelton team their second win in three years following Langer Dan’s triumph in 2022.
Skelton said: “She’s a good horse, we came here last year for a Grade One which shows you what we thought of her but she just got lost in the autumn and winter on very bad ground.
“I actually stepped her up to three miles but when you do that it is because you are struggling. What she wants is two and a half miles on decent ground and if this race was yesterday it would probably have been too soft for her.
“She’s just really good, I’d have no worries stepping out of handicaps again after that, she might go to Sandown on the last day. Since this meeting last year if she didn’t end up being a graded horse this was the race we were always looking at.”
Skelton is involved in a triple challenge for the trainers’ title but said he is not letting it dictate his plans. He smiled: “I think this race should be worth £500,000!
“I went to bed last night thinking I’m not going to think about it again, it either happens or it doesn’t and I’m going to run the horses I’m going to run.
“I got worked up about it last week trying to think what Paul (Nicholls) and Willie (Mullins) were going to run but I can’t affect that. I’ve got to enjoy otherwise you have a winner like that and open the book and see how much it was worth. I’m not doing it for that.”
Cheltenham Festival runner-up Libberty Hunter dips his toe into graded waters for the first time in the My Pension Expert Maghull Novices’ Chase at Aintree on Saturday.
The Evan Williams-trained gelding has enjoyed a successful campaign bar a fall on his seasonal return and chasing debut at Chepstow in the autumn, subsequently scoring at Wincanton and at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day.
He returned to the Cotswolds to contest the Johnny Henderson Grand Annual last month and emerged with plenty of credit after finishing second to Unexpected Party in the hands of Harry Cobden.
With title-chasing Cobden in the plate once more, Libberty Hunter has his sights raised for a Grade One event which immediately follows the Randox Grand National.
“He ran well at Cheltenham and we thought we’d try him in a Grade One,” said Williams.
“He ran very, very well at the Festival. He hasn’t got many chances to run in a Grade One as a novice, so we thought we’d have a go at it.
“It would have been easier to have gone down the handicap route but I just thought as they only get so many chances as a novice, it would be nice to try it, even if we do fail.
“The horse has had a good season and he deserves a crack at it.”
Dan Skelton is represented by Etalon, who also steps up in class after winning each of his first three starts over fences in handicaps.
“I’m keen to give him his chance as he’s been a progressive horse in handicaps and I want to give him his opportunity in a Grade One,” said Skelton.
“I have a lot of respect for those seasoned novices in there who have been running in graded races all year long, but he comes into this unbeaten over fences and we’ll be doing our best to stay unbeaten!”
Gordon Elliott will run Found A Fifty, second to Gaelic Warrior in the Arkle at Cheltenham and a consistent presence this year, having not finished out of the top two in five runs.
“I thought he ran very well at Cheltenham, he just bumped into a very good horse. He’ll love the ground, the softer the better for him,” Elliott told At The Races.
“He has been in the mix in Grade Ones all season and it would be great to win another one with him.”
Other contenders include the Willie Mullins-trained Hercule Du Seuil, who has won his last five races but has not been seen on the track since October, Henry de Bromhead’s former Triumph Hurdle hero Quilixios and Sarah Humphrey’s stable star Nickle Back.
Inothewayurthinkin produced a Cheltenham Festival repeat to announce himself as a staying chaser of the highest order with victory in the Huyton Asphalt Franny Blennerhassett Memorial Mildmay Novices’ Chase at Aintree.
Gavin Cromwell’s six-year-old made a mockery of his rating when storming to an emphatic victory in the Kim Muir last month and having again been ridden with real patience he stormed home to land his first Grade One success.
With Broadway Boy and Chianti Classico putting on an exhibition of jumping on the front end, Mark Walsh was able to bide his time on the 6-4 favourite before finishing with a real flourish to lead home a JP McManus-owned one-two, with Iroko back in second.
Cromwell said: “His jumping definitely left a bit to be desired, but he clearly has a big engine. He looked to have done plenty wrong, but still won. Clearly he stays well, so we’re delighted with the result.”
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