18:20 Aintree

Saturday 15 April 2023

All13:4514:2515:0015:3516:1517:1518:20

Weatherbys nhstallions.co.uk Standard Open NH Flat Race (Grade 2) (GBB Race)

Off time: 18:22 | Winning time: 4m 1.74s

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Selected odds by:

Aslukgoes⁶³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-6| J: J M Quinlan| T: B Brookhouse

11/1

Won 2 good-ground bumpers for Ian Williams last summer and completed the hat-trick on debut for current trainer at Newbury a couple of months ago. Should give another good account.

Form: 111

Beat The Bat⁴⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-6| J: Bryan Carver| T: H Fry

14/1

Close second of 17 in bumper at Wincanton on debut and went one better when landing a 14-runner bumper at Chepstow 49 days ago. Worth his place in a race like this.

Form: 21

Bertie's Ballet²¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-6| J: C O'Farrell| T: Mrs Dianne Sayer

33/1

Likeable sort who improved to double his tally at Kelso 3 weeks ago. This is obviously much stronger but he boasts place claims.

Form: 13-21

Blizzard Of Oz²³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-6| J: Mr P W Mullins| T: W P Mullins

16/5

Made the frame all 3 starts in bumpers prior to opening his account at Cork in ready fashion. Further progress would put him right in the mix and appears to be the choice of Patrick Mullins.

Form: 2-321

Bowenspark⁶³

Age: 5| Weight: 11-6| J: R Patrick| T: H D Daly

33/1

Won first two starts in bumpers but came up short upped to listed company at Newbury a couple of months ago. Faces another stiff task.

Form: 114

Captain Cody³¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-6| J: Miss J Townend| T: W P Mullins| OR: 121

10/3

Showed plenty on completed start in point and Punchestown bumper prior to easy success in Limerick contest on Rules debut. Shaped really well in the Champion Bumper and makes plenty of appeal down in grade.

Form: F-4216

Centara²⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-6| J: H Cobden| T: P F Nicholls

12/1

Out of a bumper winner and impressive start when readily landing a Taunton event last month. Open to a good deal of improvement and makes plenty of appeal.

Form: 1

Florida Dreams¹⁰²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-6| J: Danny McMenamin| T: N G Richards

18/1

Doyen gelding who made the perfect start when taking a Musselburgh bumper 102 days ago. This is much tougher and inexperience could hold him back.

Form: 1

Go To War¹⁶⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-6| J: P J Brennan| T: F O'Brien

10/1

Made appeal on paper and off the mark at first time of asking in 11-runner bumper at Uttoxeter (15.8f, good to soft) on NH debut 169 days ago. Likely more to come and stable won the mares' race on Thursday.

Form: 1

Hasthing²⁸

Age: 6| Weight: 11-6| J: Jonjo O'Neill Jr.| T: J & A O'Neill

28/1

French bumper winner who shaped very encouragingly when second at Uttoxeter 17 months later. Likely to take another step forward and could be involved.

Form: 1-12

Kinbara²⁷⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-6| J: S D Torrens| T: J C McConnell| D

40/1

£70,000 buy after winning his sole point and followed suit in 11-runner bumper at Killarney 9 months ago. Not seen since, though, and a lot more is required if he's to defend his unbeaten record.

Form: 11

Masaccio⁶³

Age: 6| Weight: 11-6| J: Adrian Heskin| T: A King

12/1

Debut winner at Doncaster back in 2020 and useful form since. Good second in a listed contest at Newbury a couple of months ago but will need to improve to feature.

Form: 12/32

Pour Les Filles¹¹⁰

Age: 5| Weight: 11-6| J: D N Russell| T: G Elliott| OR: 122

13/2

Point winner who showed a good attitude to edge out a well-backed Willie Mullins-trained rival on debut at Leopardstown over Christmas. Should have plenty more to offer.

Form: 11

Taras Halls⁴¹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-6| J: Bryony Frost| T: L Wadham

80/1

Yeats gelding who made a winning start at Huntingdon and found only one too good there subsequently. Faces a stiff task in this contest, however.

Form: 12

Westerninthepark¹⁴

Age: 5| Weight: 11-6| J: D A Jacob| T: M F Harris

100/1

Second in a point and filled the same position switched to Rules at Huntingdon on debut. Went one better at Stratford since but he's probably not up to this level.

Form: 221

Dino Bellagio⁷⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 10-12| J: B S Hughes| T: D McCain Jnr| D

50/1

7/2, won slowly-run 6-runner bumper at Ayr (16f, good to soft) on NH debut, cosily. Disappointing at Cheltenham next time but right back on track when quickening clear in decisive fashion at Doncaster 77 days ago. This is much tougher.

Form: 101

Esprit Du Potier⁴⁷

Age: 4| Weight: 10-12| J: D R Fox| T: Miss Lucinda V Russell

33/1

Runner-up on debut at Ayr and won both subsequent starts there, comfortably making all on latest. Likely to be found out up in grade, though.

Form: 211

Fiercely Proud³¹

Age: 4| Weight: 10-12| J: Luca Morgan| T: B Pauling| OR: 117

80/1

Landed Market Rasen bumper on debut in October (subsequently sold from Don Cantillon £125,000) and followed up in listed contest at Cheltenham on New Year's Day. Down the field in Champion Bumper and likely to come up short again.

Form: 110

Samui⁶³

Age: 4| Weight: 10-12| J: L P Dempsey| T: G Elliott| OR: 115

16/1

From a good NH family and justified favouritism in good style on debut at Naas last month. Entitled to improve for top yard but this is a whole different test.

Form: 1

Shinji^h1⁶³

Age: 4| Weight: 10-12| J: S Bowen| T: M Keighley| OR: 121

125/1

Proved a class apart in Fakenham bumper for Roger Varian (subsequently sold £60,000) in November. Ran well but looked headstrong in listed event at Newbury last month and hood goes on now. Plenty to find.

Form: 13

Forecasts

Blizzard Of Oz (16/5), Captain Cody (10/3), Pour Les Filles (13/2), Go To War (10/1), Aslukgoes (11/1), Masaccio (12/1), Centara (12/1), Beat The Bat (14/1), Samui (16/1), Florida Dreams (18/1), Hasthing (28/1), Bowenspark (33/1), Esprit Du Potier (33/1), Bertie's Ballet (33/1), Kinbara (40/1), Dino Bellagio (50/1), Fiercely Proud (80/1), Taras Halls (80/1), Westerninthepark (100/1), Shinji (125/1)

CENTARA tanked through the race when making a successful start at Taunton recently and he could find sufficient improvement to maintain his unbeaten record up in grade. Captain Cody is an obvious player after his excellent sixth in the Champion Bumper, while his stablemate Blizzard of Oz is one of several others with feasible claims in an open-looking renewal.