On Tour and Pearls Legend among Aintree tips for Saturday
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On Tour appeals in feature chase at Aintree
On Tour looks nicely treated on the pick of his form and decent value to make a winning return to action in the feature 2m 3f handicap chase at Aintree (15.10).
The Evan Williams trained gelding was a smart hurdler and looked a chaser to keep onside when winning his first two starts over the larger obstacles last season.
In the first of those at Exeter, On Tour only had to be driven out to beat Otago Trail by a cosy 1/2 a length.
The runner-up is a well-regarded sort who has won twice since and is now rated 147 and that gives the form a solid look and suggests On Tour is potentially very well-treated off a mark of 137.
Good record fresh
On Tour went on to score in similar fashion at Carlisle when value for more than the 3/4 length winning margin, before disappointing when well beaten at Doncaster.
However, the eight-year-old was then far from disgraced on his final start of the campaign when eight of 20 to Ballyalton in an ultra-competitive handicap at the Cheltenham Festival and looks the type who should have more to offer this season.
On Tour also has a good record fresh, on absence of 235 days to overcome should not be an issue, and everything looks in place for a huge run.
Geordie Des Champs can collect in opener
Geordie Des Champs created a huge impression when making a winning debut over the obstacles and looks the answer to the 2m 4f novices’ hurdle that gets proceedings underway (12.55).
The Rebecca Curtis trained five-year-old had some smart form in bumpers when winning one of his three starts and looked a hurdler with tremendous potential when beating Caspar King by 3/4 of a length in the 12-runner contest at Chepstow earlier in the month.
Geordie Des Champs jumped superbly throughout and only had to be driven out by jockey Barry Geraghty to score with more in hand than the winning margin suggests.
The third home Capeland has come out and won since to give the form a boost and it was a performance which suggested that the J P McManus owned Geordie Des Champs was an exciting prospect who needed keeping firmly onside.
Lots to like about Pearls Legend
Pearls Legend has a good record fresh and looks worth a punt at the odds on offer in the 2m handicap chase (15.45).
John Spearing’s gelding is a tough and consistent sort who ran a blinder at Ascot 12 months ago on seasonal reappearance when runner-up to Cold March.
The nine-year-old went on to land a competitive contest at Cheltenham off a a mark of 133 and was also far from disgraced when fifth of 24 to Solar Impulse in the Grand Annual at the Festival off 138.
Pearls Legend went on to round off the campaign with a solid fourth over course and distance and now returns to action off a rating 136, just 3lb higher than when last successful, and looks weighted to run a huge race.
Aintree tips for Saturday
12.55: Geordie Des Champs
13.30: Definite Outcome
14.05: Caid Du Berlais
14.40: Un Temps Pour Tout
15.10: On Tour (NAP)
15.45: Pearls Legend (NB)
16.15: Cruiseaweigh
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