The highlights of Day Two of the Aintree Festival were the victories of Big Bucks, Pierrot Lunaire, Gwanako and Voy Por Ustedes.

The first three named are all trained by Champion trainer Paul Nicholls and at S.P’s of 11/4, 7/1 and 5/1 his army of supporters must have taken the bookies to the cleaners.

However, the last named, Voy Por Ustedes, put a hole in Nicholls’ day when flooring Cheltenham Champion Chaser Master Minded by a comfortable 18 lengths in the Melling Chase.

Alan King’s former Champion saw out the 2½ mile trip much better than Master Minded who returned a very short looking 2/5F (with the benefit of hindsight!).

Pierrot Lunaire franked the Binocular form with an authoriative display in the Grade 2 Novice Hurdle and Gwanako defied his young age and inexperience over fences to win a very competitive renewal of the Topham.

All eyes now move towards the Saturday card and the Grand National itself: Let battle commence!

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Get the videos ready: not only is The Topham a great race to have a bet in it is a valuable tool for assessing the likely chances of future Grand National winners. Three National winners in the last ten years alone have gone on from a run in The Topham to winning a National (Bindaree, Monty’s Pass, Amberleigh House) so this race will be necessary viewing for those of us thinking past just the 2008 Grand National.

The field is littered with horses suggested as National possibles, including those who may have run in the big race but for failing to make the cut. Horses such as:

In The High Grass
You’re Special
Irish Raptor
Bothar Na
Pak Jak
Dunbrody Millar
Theatre Knight
I Hear Thunder

But who will win The Topham?

The Topham tends to fall to horses at the lower end of the handicap and this race has apparently been the target all season of Willie Mullins’ Bothar Na. He has had two spins round the fences before and the trainer has won the race before in 2002 with It’s Time For A Win.

Other horses who may appeal at bigger odds are former Sefton Chase winner I Hear Thunder and the Ferdy Murphy trained You’re Special. The latter would be a little older than some recent winners but had been talked of as a National ‘type’ for some time and it will be interesting to see how he gets on over these fences.

Your thoughts?

Who do you fancy? Are there any of the field who you think could potentially come back for next year’s National? Come back on after the race as well and let us know what you thought of the race and if there were any clues to take away for future Nationals.

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Aintree 2008 got off to a great start with a superb days racing with some impressive performances and a really close finish to the highlight of the day, the Bowl Chase.

Novice Hurdlers Elusive Dream and Binocular recorded quality victories in their respective races with the latter gaining quotes as low as 7/1 for the 2009 Champion Hurdle after the race. Both look hurdlers to follow.

In the opener Blazing Bailey responded to blinkers for the first time and a strong ride from Robert Thornton to see off Faasel and the decidedly uncomfortable looking World Hurdle Champ, Inglis Drever.

Howard Johnson was quoted after the race as saying that this would be the last time that Inglis Drever would run at Aintree.

The race over the big National fences produced one of the best riding performances I have seen for a long time from an Amateur Rider. The winner of the race, Christy Beamish, made a terrible mistake at Bechers and all but fell when seemingly travelling well. Rider Josh Guerriero made a great recovery but almost as impressive was the fact that he refused to panic and gave his mount plenty of time to work back into the race. He came back to take control two fences from home and stayed on resolutely to see off double Aintree Foxhunters Champion Katarino for a nine length success.

Guerriero is attached to the Philip Hobbs yard and looks a very promising addition to that stables great record with young jockeys.

The race of the day though was the Bowl Chase where the impetus of the race rocked from Our Vic to Kauto Star and finally back again with the Pond House horse putting up the performance of his career to come back on the run in to head the former Gold Cup winner on the line for a ‘nose’ victory.

So, first day plaudits from this viewer go to Josh Guerriero and also to Our Vic. But who will be the heroes of Day Two?

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Whilst most of us on this blog have been pouring over the Grand National form the Aintree 2008 Festival isn’t just about one race. The entries for Thursday and Friday are out now and there is the prospect of some crackerjack races next week. Here are just a few of the Cheltenham Festival winners and other top class horses that are entered:

Inglis Drever, Kauto Star, Monets Garden, Exotic Dancer, Celestial Halo, Albertas Run, Tidal Bay, Nenuphar Collonges, Master Minded, Voy Por Ustedes, Our Vic, Captain Cee Bee

Particularly interesting will be the return of Kauto Star who holds entries in the Totesport Bowl and the Melling Chase.

The Totesport Bowl would see him potentially matched against old foes Exotic Dancer and Monets Garden (also entered in both races). Also amongst that race’s entries are Our Vic, Aces Four, Gungadu and Turko.

The Melling Chase on the Friday also looks mouth-watering. Along with the doubly entered Kauto Star, Monets Garden and Our Vic we have Champion Chase winner Master Minded, former Champion Chaser Voy Por Ustedes and Arkle Chase winner Tidal Bay. If we end up with 50% of that field it will be a sight to see.

Who are you particularly looking forward to seeing in the supporting races at Aintree? Is there one horse who you have been waiting to back at this meeting?

A horse I think will win soon is Boychuk from the Philip Hobbs yard. I note he is entered in a handicap at Aintree and I will be having a look at the race closer to the time. He ran an eye-catching race at Cheltenham but perhaps a tough jumping track like Aintree might not be the best place for him to exploit what looks like is becoming a decent handicap mark. I think he might register a win before the end of the season.

Let us know if there is one horse you will be backing over the three day Aintree Festival.

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