STAR HORSE RACING PREVIEW: Grand National 2023 | Day One

One of the most enjoyable festivals in sport – and one of the big occasions of the racing year – is upon us as Aintree’s Grand National Festival begins on Thursday.

With a bigger gap between Cheltenham and Aintree than in past years, with an extra week between the two Festivals giving a slight advantage to those who ran at Cheltenham compared to most years.

That means we’ve got some high-profile Festival winners to enjoy attempting to double up on the first day, with four Grade 1 races to enjoy along with the Foxhunters over the National fences.

Before that, don’t forget to enter our free YES/NO competition, with the first prize of a £500 free bet up for grabs – just click below!

THE GRAND NATIONAL YES/NO: Win £500 FREE BET!

There will also be a Grand National Day preview, but get ahead on your studying with the Pinstickers’ Guide here:

GRAND NATIONAL: Star Pinstickers’ Guide

Weather/Ground: At the time of writing, here are the ground reports from TurfTrax:

Official Going Mildmay & Hurdle: Good to Soft, Good (in places) National: Good to Soft
GoingStick Chase: 4.9 Hurdle: 4.6 National: 4.5 on 11-04-2023 at 08:30

There’s plenty of train forecast over Wednesday and into Thursday, so one can expect the ground to soften between now and the start of racing on all courses. Soft ground horses may be at an advantage by the time the action kicks off.

The 2023 Randox Grand National Festival, Day 1
Aintree, Liverpool
Live on ITV 1 HD & ITV Hub from 2.00pm
Live on Racing TV from 10.45am with Mark Your Card

1.45 – Manifesto Novices’ Chase (Grade 1) 2m4f (2m3f200y) (Mildmay)

A small but reasonably select field to kick off proceedings and a fascinating match up between Stage Star – an all the way winner of the Turners’ at Cheltenham, Irish Arkle second Banbridge (taken out of the Turners on the morning of the race), and Arkle third Saint Roi.

There’s not much separating the trio with only 3lbs between them on official ratings, and it may be that Stage Star could follow up his Cheltenham win. Harry Cobden gave him a sensational front running ride to take the Turners there, but he has just four rivals here this time and he could get an advantageous early position once again, whilst his jumping is a major asset for his chances.

Saint Roi picked up the pieces for third in the Arkle and has to be respected, although he may not get such a good gallop to run at and he’s untested over the trip. That said he obviously has a major form chance here. Banbridge comes here fresh after being taken out of the Turners, and he will have a big chance here if we get a decent surface – the worry is that Aintree is due to see plenty of rain before the first day.

With all due respect to Visionarian and Straw Fan Jack, it would be a surprise if either reversed form with Saint Roi from their recent meetings and this could be between the front three.

---

2.20 – Anniversary 4-Y-O Juvenile Hurdle (Grade 1) (2m1f) (2m209y)

A number of winners have come from the Triumph at Cheltenham and Zenta can follow up here, having finished third at Cheltenham on just her third hurdling start. Having overcome a terrible round of jumping at Fairyhouse, she went through the Triumph much more professionally and was only beaten by leading juveniles Lossiemouth and Gala Marceau, who had dominated the Grade 1 Spring Juvenile Hurdle at the Dublin Racing Festival beforehand. She should take plenty of beating here.

Bo Zenith has bounced back from a poor showing at Sandown to win impressively at Haydock and Stratford, and Gary Moore’s charge looks to be a major threat along with the Adonis winner Nusret. Nusret is respected, although his chances will be improved by better ground, and he’s got a lot of ground to make up on Zenta based on his early season form and the Adonis was let down when runner up Persus Way was a lacklustre tenth in the Boodles at the Festival.

Scriptwriter was below par in the Adonis but beforehand he’d travelled well before being outbattled in a Triumph trial at Cheltenham, and this track should suit him better so he’s a contender here. Listed winner Greyval is worthy of respect but has a lot of improvement to make on bare form.

Sarsons Risk was going OK when falling three out in the Adonis although he’d been keen through the race and he’d need to settle better here. Chaos Control, Rightsotom, Pawaprui and Jipcot all have a lot to find.

2.55 – Aintree Bowl (Grade 1) (3m1f) (3m210y) (Mildmay)

A cracking renewal and one which looks tightly matched between the leading contenders. Extra spice is added by the fact all the contenders ran at the Festival, with three of them rematching from the Gold Cup. The withdrawal of Bravemansgame due to an FCA court order is unfortunate as he provided a major dimension to the race, but we still have a high class and intriguing field here.

After Ahoy Senor fell at the 17th, having travelled powerfully through the race, hampering a Plus Tard (soon to be pulled up), Bravemansgame and Conflated served it upto Galopin Des Champs, with Bravemansgame a fine second and Conflated a very gutsy third.

Shishkin was a running on second in the Ryanair Chase, having jumped dreadfully whilst racing off the bridle and then finishing in a manner that suggested a step upto 3 miles was well worth trying. His natural ability is obvious, but he will need to jump better if he’s to beat the best staying chasers in the country and the way he raced through the Ryanair was most off-putting.

One would be inclined to go with a contender from the Gold Cup – Ga Law is an admirable horse but perhaps short of this level – and perhaps Conflated could be the one.

It’s promising that Conflated backed up his Ryanair effort (fell at second last in 2022 renewal) when he was a staying on second in last year’s renewal and considering how he travelled through the Gold Cup after a rough trip, the return to 3 miles might just help his chances.

A Plus Tard’s chances were ended when Ahoy Senor’s fall hampered him, but he didn’t make up his ground with any zest afterwards and there’s a lot that needs to be taken on trust with Henry de Bromhead’s charge here. Ahoy Senor put it all together when romping home in the Mildmay here last year and had gotten into a real rhythm in the Gold Cup, but his fall was a reminder of how fallible his jumping is and another mistake has to be a worry.

3.30 – Aintree Hurdle (Grade 1) (2m4f)

Surely a matter of how far for Constitution Hill, and it will be a joy to watch him in action. The race for second is a trappy one that might be won by Sharjah, although there will be little between him, a back to form Epatante, Zanahiyr, I Like To Move It and maybe even Sceau Royal for second.

4.05 – Randox Foxhunters’ Open Hunters’ Chase (Class 2) (6yo+) (Grand National) (2m5f (2m5f19y)

The first sight of the National fences all week and there are plenty of contenders here. Last year’s winner Latenightpass should be heavily involved, along with last year’s Cheltenham Foxhunter second Winged Leader, leading pointer Fier Jaguen and Famous Clermont, who travelled as well as any horse into the Foxhunters before failing to get home.

Separating those contenders – not forgetting Magic Saint, Bennys King, and Not That Fuisse – is a tough enough task, but Famous Clermont could be best here based on the way he went through the Foxhunters at Cheltenham before his stamina emptied.

4.40 – Red Rum Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap) (2m) (1m7f176y) (Mildmay)

Fiendishly difficult here and there are several in with a chance, but Grey Diamond could be the best bet. Sam Thomas’ nine-year-old was third behind Amarillo Sky (since a 14 length winner off a 4lbs higher mark before running with credit in Grade 1 company) and Fugitif (impressive winner next time out, second on Trials Day and at the Festival) at Cheltenham in November, and he made amends for falling at Sandown (set to go close) when hacking up at Haydock in March.

A 7lbs rise for that is fair and this keen travelling type should benefit from a strong pace here, and on the basis of this season’s form he makes appeal to run a big race here.

Grand Annual fourth Third Time Lucki could enjoy this course more and along with the hat-trick seeking Douglas Talking, whilst more rain will be a big help for the veteran Global Citizen. Pay The Piper would probably want a sounder surface here whilst last year’s winner The Last Day and Dancing Of My Own are well handicapped, with this presumably the target all season.

5.15 – Mares’ Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race (Grade 2) 2m1f (2m209y)

All the top trainers in attendance here with a couple of high profile ex-French debutants making their debuts for Willie Mullins and Henry de Bromhead too. They’ll all have to be useful to beat Seeyouinmydreams on the basis of her 11-length romp at Newbury, although she’s only run on good ground and that form is untested.

On a line through Jesuba there isn’t much between July Flower (Henry de Bromhead) and Jolie Coeur Allen (Willie Mullins) and it would not surprise if either were heavily involved here. Dysart Enos has impressed in two bumper wins so far, winning by eight lengths at Ludlow and then taking the scalp of Queens Gamble at Market Rasen. Anything worse than good to soft would be new for her but she’s a leading player here. Other Irish raiders Gaillimh A Run (Jamie Codd) and Notkeepinyagoing (Brian Hayes) have interesting jockey bookings with the latter horse catching the eye based on her 13 length romp over a subsequent winner at Galway back in September.

This has presumably been the target and trainer John McConnell has landed some decent raids already this season, including Seddon in the Plate at Cheltenham and Fennor Cross in Supreme Trials beforehand. Decent ground (she won on yielding at Galway) would greatly aid her chances and she must be of interest.

Williamstowndancer was too keen in a Listed event at Navan and needs to improve on what she’s shown so far – although she should get plenty of cover here at least to help with that – whilst Baby Sage and She’s A Fine Wine were both visually striking when winning by wide margins.

Magic Dawn was brought by the Gordon Elliott team after springing a surprise at Punchestown in December, picking up impressively when getting first run around the bend and showing plenty of grit to hold on late. There’s no doubt she has ability although it’s hard to know what the form is worth.

If the heavens really open, Casa No Mento – a wide margin Hereford winner who travelled best in a Listed contest at Sandown – would have her chances enhanced. She was caught late after hitting the front early that day on heavy ground and shouldn’t be forgotten about.

WILLIAM KEDJANYI

---

RECOMMENDED BETS
BACK Stage Star 1pt win 1.45 Aintree at 6/4 (Latest Star Price ? CLICK TO BET NOW)
BACK Zenta 3pts win 2.20 Aintree at 13/8 (Latest Star Price ? CLICK TO BET NOW)
BACK Grey Diamond 1pt each/way 4.40 Aintree at 15/2 (Latest Star Price ? CLICK TO BET NOW)

---

PROFIT/LOSS (APR 2023): LOSS -2.99 points

---

STAR PROMOTIONS