16:05 Aintree

Thursday 11 April 2024

All13:4514:2014:5515:3016:0516:4017:15

Randox Foxhunters' Open Hunters' Chase (National Course)

Off time: 16:07 | Winning time: 5m 51.97s

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Selected odds by:

Annamix^t³³

Age: 11| Weight: 12-0| J: Mr P W Mullins| T: W P Mullins| OR: 142

5/1

Fairly useful chaser who made it 2-3 wins this season in 6-runner hunter chase (9/2) at Gowran (25f, heavy) 33 days ago, staying on well. Much respected for top connections.

Form: F1P-1P1

Bennys King^p⁴⁴

Age: 13| Weight: 12-0| J: Mr Sean P O'Connor| T: D Skelton| OR: 132| D

8/1

Has improved with each run since returning to hunters and landed 7-runner hunter chase (8/1) at Leicester (22.7f, heavy) 44 days ago by 23 lengths from Hardline, going with enthusiasm. Runner-up in this 12 months ago so he's a player.

Form: 2-PP321

Cap Du Mathan^t³⁴

Age: 9| Weight: 12-0| J: Miss Olive Nicholls| T: P F Nicholls| OR: 128

22/1

Useful chaser who lost his way in handicaps prior to completing a relatively simple task in a 7-runner event at Leicester on hunter debut. Returns to a more competitive scenario and stamina isn't assured.

Form: 2P-4PP1

Captain Tommy^p,t²¹

Age: 10| Weight: 12-0| J: Mr Toby McCain-Mitchell| T: Fred Timmis| OR: 119| BF| D

33/1

Already a 4-time winner this term and bagged 6-runner hunter chase at Ludlow (20f, soft) 21 days ago by ¾ length from Espoir De Guye. Not ruled out.

Form: 3P41P1

Cat Tiger⁴⁴

Age: 10| Weight: 12-0| J: Mr D Maxwell| T: S Loxton| OR: 129| D

28/1

Useful chaser at his best for Paul Nicholls and found just one too good in the 2022 edition of this. Ran out for this yard at Hereford before a below-par Leicester third so has it to prove.

Form: 5P-35R3

Drop Flight¹⁷

Age: 9| Weight: 12-0| J: Mr Ben Sutton| T: S Loxton| OR: 121

66/1

Placed 4 times in hunter chases last season and got back on track reverted to patient tactics when scoring in a 5-runner contest at Exeter last time. This is significantly tougher.

Form: 2-66P31

Espoir De Guye^t²¹

Age: 10| Weight: 12-0| J: Miss N Parker| T: S Loxton| OR: 128| BF| D

33/1

Useful chaser at his best and, returned to positive tactics, looked to retain all of that ability when scoring at Wincanton in February. Not disgraced when second at Ludlow next time, so shouldn't be completely dismissed.

Form: 856-312

Focus Point⁷⁵

Age: 8| Weight: 12-0| J: Mr D T Hyde| T: T E Hyde

125/1

Only effort in this sphere almost a year contained some encouragement. Multiple point winner who is unexposed, but big chunk of improvement is required.

Form: 111P23

Gaboriot^p³⁶

Age: 8| Weight: 12-0| J: Mr H Myddelton| T: O Greenall & J Guerriero| OR: 126

16/1

Won a pair of 3m handicaps in the autumn and regained the winning thread when easily landing a hunter at Catterick last month. Bit more required if he's to make a serious impact in this.

Form: 3-21131

Grand Roi^b²³

Age: 8| Weight: 12-0| J: Mr Tommie M O'Brien| T: Mrs J Owen| OR: 115| BF

125/1

Fair chaser who has runner-up on Fakenham hunter debut in February and filled the same position behind Forest Chimes at Stratford on penultimate start. Tame display at Exeter last time, however, and he has plenty to find.

Form: 44222P

Hardline^p⁴⁴

Age: 12| Weight: 12-0| J: Mr J H Williamson| T: G Elliott| OR: 124

125/1

Winless under Rules since landing a Grade 1 novice chase at Limerick back in 2018 and, while he's been successful in points since, his latest effort in a hunter at Leicester (beaten convincingly by Benny's King) add weight to the theory that he's not the force of old.

Form: 08-2142

Its On The Line²⁷

Age: 7| Weight: 12-0| J: Mr Derek O'Connor| T: E Mullins| OR: 140| BF

3/1

Likeable sort who has a terrific record in this sphere and ran another cracker when second (for the second year running) in the Festival Challenge Cup at Cheltenham last time, denied late. Fell in this in 2023 but should put up a bold showing this time round.

Form: 1-21112

Lieutenant Rocco^t⁴³

Age: 9| Weight: 12-0| J: Mr William Biddick| T: S Hosie| OR: 123| D

12/1

Useful on his day and returned to form to some degree when second in a hunter at Taunton on penultimate start. Perhaps found the race coming too soon next time but he's hardly the most reliable.

Form: P14-P23

Matts Commission^t³²

Age: 11| Weight: 12-0| J: Miss Lois Teal| T: J Teal| OR: 100

125/1

Added to a prolific points record with another success last month but, based on what he's shown under Rules, he's out of his depth.

Form: 319-161

Rebel Dawn Rising²⁷

Age: 10| Weight: 12-0| J: Mr D Peters| T: D Kemp| OR: 126

14/1

Multiple point scorer who is fairly useful under Rules and looked better than ever when landing a hunter at Fakenham last time, rallying to regain the lead late. This is much tougher.

Form: 4B1U-21

Reikers Island^p,t²⁶

Age: 11| Weight: 12-0| J: Mr Daniel Cherriman| T: A Hill| OR: 114

150/1

Useful chaser who was third in a point last season. Has shown plenty of ability over the years but he's struggled in the last two renewals of this.

Form: 140-243

Romeo Magico^t²⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 12-0| J: Mr D McGill| T: E Mullins

5/1

Point winner who is two from three in hunters and had plenty in hand when scoring at Down Royal last time. Tongue strap is refitted and his accurate jumping should be an asset on this course, so he's worth chancing to get the better of his stablemate.

Form: 1-21241

Spyglass Hill^p,t⁵⁴

Age: 11| Weight: 12-0| J: Mr James King| T: R Pallas| OR: 134

14/1

First run since leaving Henry De Bromhead when readily landing 8-runner hunter chase at Haydock (22.2f, heavy, 9/1) 54 days ago. Has plenty of class and, while he's prone to mistakes, it will be interesting to see how he takes to these fences.

Form: 2/P003-1

Tea Clipper^p,t⁶⁴

Age: 9| Weight: 12-0| J: Freddie Mitchell| T: T Lacey| OR: 132| BF

25/1

Winless since scoring at Chepstow back in October 2021 and, while he's shown the bulk of his ability remains this term, he's not looked the most straightforward recently, so others hard to have maximum confidence in him.

Form: 922323

The Big Lense^p,t³⁴

Age: 11| Weight: 12-0| J: Mr Alex Chadwick| T: James Owen| OR: 124| C

50/1

Winner of a handicap here last summer but efforts in hunters this term have been uninspiring.

Form: 341P13

Time Leader²⁷

Age: 10| Weight: 12-0| J: Mr Huw Edwards| T: Miss Roach| OR: 134| D

8/1

Fairly useful chaser with an excellent strike rate in hunters, completing a hat-trick in this sphere when scoring comfortably at Hereford in January. Excellent third in Festival Challenge Cup at Cheltenham last time and deserves plenty of respect.

Form: 111P13

Windsor Avenue³⁶

Age: 12| Weight: 12-0| J: Mr J Teal| T: J Teal| OR: 122

66/1

Fairly useful chaser on his day and took a step back in the right direction when runner-up at Catterick a month ago. Something to find and several others are more persuasive.

Form: P43-352

Forecasts

Its On The Line (3/1), Annamix (5/1), Romeo Magico (5/1), Bennys King (8/1), Time Leader (8/1), Lieutenant Rocco (12/1), Rebel Dawn Rising (14/1), Spyglass Hill (14/1), Gaboriot (16/1), Cap Du Mathan (22/1), Tea Clipper (25/1), Cat Tiger (28/1), Captain Tommy (33/1), Espoir De Guye (33/1), The Big Lense (50/1), Drop Flight (66/1), Windsor Avenue (66/1), Hardline (125/1), Focus Point (125/1), Matts Commission (125/1), Grand Roi (125/1), Reikers Island (150/1)

ROMEO MAGICO was highly impressive at Down Royal last time and, while this is a much tougher assignment, the way he jumped and travelled that day indicates that there's a bigger effort in him, so he gets the nod ahead of his reliable stablemate Its On The Line, who was just denied at Cheltenham last time. Time Leader, one position behind It's On The Line last month, is also worthy of plenty of respect.