Aintree experience has always been a fairly significant pointer when it comes to races over the famous fences and Paul Nicholls' AS DE MEE has become a bit of a regular over the past couple of seasons, with four previous outings over the National course under his belt in total.
Two of those have come in the Topham Chase in April, where he has run with credit on each occasion – finishing seventh to Eastlake in 2016 and fifth behind Ultragold last spring – while his best performance arrived when slamming his rivals in the Grand Sefton over the same two mile, five furlong trip in December 2016.
That impressive five-length victory was achieved from a mark of 137 so he’s got a significant task on his hands as he looks to defy 149 now, but there are reasons to believe he has improved again this season.
His win at Kelso earlier in the current season – incidentally, in the same race won by One For Arthur at the start of his National-winning campaign – came from a mark of 145 and he defeated a class horse there in Wakanda.
He unseated in the Becher back in December but was given some time off subsequently and returned with a reasonable effort at Kempton, when travelling well for a long way before looking like the run was needed.
He’s drifted in the betting for the National on the back of that performance which looks a bit unfair and given he’s still so unexposed as a stayer, he looks worth backing each-way ahead of his return to Aintree, where he clearly thrives.