Aintree Festival Day Two Tips: Glory for Topofthegame and Waiting Patiently?
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Odds and preview for Grand National Ladies Day
It’s Ladies Day at Aintree as the second day of the three-day festival takes place, with another seven-race card to look forward to.
The Mildmay Novices’ Chase and the Melling Chase are today’s headline events, and we’ve got tips for all of the action right here…
This should be a showdown between Topofthegame and Lostintranslation, and it’s the former who we’re siding with.
Paul Nicholls’ charge produced a sterling run to win the RSA Novices’ Chase at the Cheltenham Festival, ahead of Santini and Delta Work.
The win was the latest improvement after a slightly sub-par seasonal bow at Exeter in December. That was followed by a better run to second at Kempton on Boxing Day.
The slight step up in trip here won’t be an issue, and he should be far fresher than Lostintranslation.
The Colin Tizzard-trained seven-year-old has already run five times this season, winning only once. He’s also untested at this level over the 3m.
That should open the door for Harry Cobden on Topofthegame, who looks a cut above the rest here.
After Cyrname was withdrawn earlier this week, the Melling Chase should now be between Politologue, Min and Waiting Patiently.
But Min was poor at Cheltenham last month, which has us nodding towards Ruth Jefferson’s Waiting Patiently.
He did unseat his rider in the King George, so we never got to find out if he could have beaten Politologue that day.
But he was certainly the better of the pair at Ascot back in February, coming second behind Cyrname, with Politologue back in fourth. Jefferson’s raider can also boast victory over Paul Nicholls’ opponent in the 2017 Ascot chase.
Granted, the eight-year-old can’t boast an Aintree win like Politologue can. This will be Waiting Patiently’s Aintree bow, but there’s more than enough to suggest victory is in the offing for this gamely runner.
Champ and Emitom head up the betting for the Sefton Novices’ Hurdle, but we’re looking at Lisnagar Oscar.
Rebecca Curtis’ six-year-old boasts far more experience over 3m than either of the aforementioned favourites. What’s more, the gelding looks more than comfortable over the trip too.
Was a steady fifth in the Albert Bartlett at Cheltenham last month, but hacked up over 3m at Haydock in February when going off at 6/1.
Curtis’ runner often runs well at odds, and another such run wouldn’t surprise us.
Aintree Festival Day 2 Tips:
1:45pm Merseyrail Handicap Hurdle – Joke Dancer each-way
2:20pm Betway Top Novices’ Hurdle – Precious Cargo
2:50pm Betway Mildmay Novices’ Chase – Topofthegame
3:25pm JLT Melling Chase – Waiting Patiently
4:05pm Randox Health Topham Handicap Chase – Cadmium
4:40pm Doom Bar Sefton Novices’ Hurdle – Lisnagar Oscar
5:15pm Weatherbys Racing Bank Standard Open National Hunt Flat – Malystic
All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing
