Racecards
13:30 Aintree
Totepool Grand Sefton Handicap Chase (Class 3)
- 20 Runners
- Distance: 2m 5f 110y
- Going: Good, Good to Soft in places
- Surface: Turf
- £60,000 added
- Form 111222-
- Age 12
- Weight 11-12
- Official Rating 130
- Trainer J L Spearing
- Jockey D Elsworth
led until fell 8th
- Form U7F8-23
- Age 8
- Weight 11-5
- Official Rating 123
- Trainer R H Buckler
- Jockey D A Jacob
chased leaders, ridden to lead 2 out, stayed on strongly from last
- Form 115F-57
- Age 7
- Weight 11-5
- Official Rating 123
- Trainer N & W Twiston-Davies
- Jockey Tony Evans
tracked leaders, lost place from 9th, tailed off
- Form 124F3-7
- Age 11
- Weight 11-5
- Official Rating 123
- Trainer J & A O'Neill
- Jockey A P McCoy
mid-division, blundered 6th, ridden next, never dangerous
- Form 33F4-41
- Age 10
- Weight 11-5
- Official Rating 123
- Trainer Mrs J E Scrase
- Jockey P A Carberry
always behind, mistakes
- Form 137-435
- Age 10
- Weight 11-3
- Official Rating 121
- Trainer Evan Williams
- Jockey Paul Moloney
behind, ridden and headway 3 out, stayed on from 2 out
- Form 5/4BP-1P
- Age 10
- Weight 11-1
- Official Rating 119
- Trainer T R George
- Jockey J M Maguire
in touch, blundered 14th, 5th when hampered and unseated rider 15th
- Form 331P-44
- Age 7
- Weight 10-13
- Official Rating 117
- Trainer C C Bealby
- Jockey M Bradburne
held up, blundered 11th, never dangerous
- Form 125-P23
- Age 9
- Weight 10-11
- Official Rating 115
- Trainer D R Gandolfo
- Jockey A Dobbin
tracked leader, blundered 6th, left in lead 8th, headed when jumped slow 10th, 3rd when fell 15th
- Form 142365
- Age 10
- Weight 10-9
- Official Rating 113
- Trainer Miss Lucinda V Russell
- Jockey P Buchanan
mid-division, prominent when hampered 8th, blundered when weakening 10th
- Form 3663-31
- Age 8
- Weight 10-7
- Official Rating 111
- Trainer J Howard Johnson
- Jockey P J Brennan
tracked leaders, blundered and hampered 8th, led 11th, headed 3 out, soon ridden, one pace
- Form 4P-0021
- Age 10
- Weight 10-6
- Official Rating 110
tracked leaders, led 10th, headed 11th, led again 3 out, ridden and headed 2 out, stayed on, no chance with winner
- Form 2220-62
- Age 6
- Weight 10-6
- Official Rating 110
- Trainer A L T Moore
- Jockey D N Russell
mid-division, hampered 8th, jumped right 2 out, soon weakened
- Form 03-3572
- Age 11
- Weight 10-4
- Official Rating 108
- Trainer Oliver McKiernan
- Jockey R P McLernon
held up, headway 4 out, in 4th when hampered 2 out, stayed on
- Form P505-P7
- Age 9
- Weight 10-3
- Official Rating 107
- Trainer Patrick J Halley
- Jockey B P Harding
always behind, never dangerous
- Form 72P565
- Age 11
- Weight 10-0
- Official Rating 103
- Trainer S A Brookshaw
- Jockey S Durack
in rear, ridden and good headway 3 out, stayed on from next
- Form 24-4642
- Age 7
- Weight 10-0
- Official Rating 100
- Trainer A Parker
- Jockey P Kinsella
held up, hampered 11th, headway 3 out, one pace
- Form 55542P
- Age 10
- Weight 10-0
- Official Rating 100
- Trainer J R Cornwall
- Jockey P Whelan
in touch, behind when blundered and unseated rider 6th
- Form 748-U24
- Age 7
- Weight 10-0
- Official Rating 99
- Trainer N & W Twiston-Davies
- Jockey Stephen Craine
prominent, mistakes, blundered 8th, weakened from 13th
- Form P00-124
- Age 10
- Weight 11-6
- Official Rating 124
- Trainer Mrs Tracey Barfoot-Saunt
- Jockey T Scudamore
Nonrunner
In depth
Verdict
This is the first of two races run over the Grand National fences on the card and in what looks a competitive contest the vote goes to Theatre Knight, who is preferred to I Hear Thunder and Shannon's Pride. The selection, like a lot of Howard Johnson's horses struggled to show any real worthwhile form last term and, as a result, is seemingly well treated now. The eight-year-old confirmed that belief when making a winning return at Carlisle recently and he is taken to follow up. Manbow tends to show his best form at Wetherby but would have claims if he could reproduce that here, while Bob The Builder disappointed back over fences at Cheltenham last time and is hard to back with confidence on the evidence of that outing. Hakim has plenty of weight to carry and of more interest may be Bob Buckler's I Hear Thunder, who has run to a similar level of form in both starts this term. Richard Guest's Shannon's Pride came back to form at Hexham last time and has to be considered off his light weight but Theatre Knight has a similar weight to carry and may be open to further improvement now that his yard is back in form so he is preferred.
Formwatch
Hakim (NZ) 13-2fav (10-6) Made most, ridden and joined from 2 out, headed soon after last, stayed on, 2nd of 29, 1 1/2l behind Liberthine (10-4) at Aintree 2m 5f hcp chs 0-150 (2) gd in Apr.
I Hear Thunder (IRE) 7-2jt-fav (10-7) Chased leaders, ridden 4 out, every chance approaching 3 out, 3rd and held when hit last, 3rd of 9, 12l behind Tanterari (10-1) at Wincanton 3m 3f hcp chs 0-140 (2) sft in Oct.
Bob The Builder 9-2 (11-6) Hit 1st, made most until headed 4 out, weakened, no chance when hampered 2 out, 7th of 14, 26l behind Butler's Cabin (10-6) at Cheltenham 2m 4f hcp chs 0-135 (3) gd in Oct.
Be My Better Half (IRE) 12-1 (11-3) Held up, not fluent 9th, weakened approaching 12th, 7th of 13, well behind Bob Bob Bobbin (11-11) at Bangor 3m hcp chs 0-135 (3) gd.
Neltina 12-1 (11-12) Prominent, led 8th, ridden 2 out, ran on, won at Towcester 2m hcp chs 0-115 (4) gd in Jun beating Borehill Joker (10-3) by 3l, 7 ran.
Swansea Bay 12-1 (10-4) Led, ridden clear 4 out, weakened and headed approaching 3 out, no chance after, 5th of 12, 15l behind Parsons Legacy (10-5) at Wincanton 3m 1f lst hcp chs (1) gd.
Burwood Breeze (IRE) 20-1 (10-0) Tracked leaders to 18th, soon weakened, tailed off when pulled up 3 out in race won by Mckelvey (10-10) at Uttoxeter 4m lst hcp chs (1) gf in Jul, 15 ran.
Eskimo Pie (IRE) 8-1 (11-8) Chased leaders, outpaced 5 out, weakened approaching last, 4th of 9, 36l behind King Killone (11-7) at Wetherby 3m 1f hcp chs 0-130 (3) gs.
Glengarra (IRE) 4-1 (11-12) Tracked leaders, led 7th, ridden and narrow leader when blundered badly and headed last, not recover, 3rd of 8, 12l behind Roofing Spirit (11-8) at Chepstow 2m hcp chs 0-115 (4) gs.
Incas (FR) 11-1 (11-4) Held up, ridden 3 out, kept on from next, 5th of 11, 16l behind Dolans Bay (10-3) at Carlisle 2m 4f nov hcp hdl 0-100 (4) sft.
Theatre Knight (IRE) 3-1fav (11-12) Prominent, went 2nd approaching 4 out, led 2 out, held on well, won at Carlisle 3m 2f hcp chs 0-105 (4) sft beating Willie The Fish (10-0) by 1 1/2l, 8 ran.
Shannon's Pride (IRE) 7-2jt-fav (11-8) Tracked leader, led 9th, clear 3 out, comfortably, won at Hexham 2m 4f cnd hcp chs 0-105 (4) gs beating Lampion Du Bost (11-12) by 10l, 8 ran.
Mon Oiseau (FR) 11-2 (11-6) Behind, headway 4 out, went 2nd before last, ran on, 2nd of 11, 2 1/2l behind Keevas Boy (10-0) at Down Royal 2m 6f hcp chs 0-116 gs.
Manbow (IRE) 8-1 (10-8) Held up, headway approaching 4 out, kept on same pace, 3rd of 9, 19l behind Mandingo Chief (10-2) at Wetherby 2m 4f hcp chs 0-135 (3) sft in Oct.
Star Performance (IRE) 14-1 (10-10) Chased leaders, challenged winner from 5 out, stayed on flat, 2nd of 14, 1l behind Spot Thedifference (11-8) at Cheltenham 3m 7f crs cty chs (2) gd.
Paddy Fitz (IRE) 66-1 (11-2) Prominent, 4th 6 out, 5th approaching next, soon no impression under pressure, 7th of 8, 31l behind Anothercoppercoast (11-2) at Cork 2m 4f nov chs gs.
Cassia Heights 33-1 (11-3) In touch, ridden 4 out, weakened next, 5th of 8, 24l behind Abragante (11-1) at Haydock 2m 4f hcp chs 0-125 (3) gd.
Lampion du Bost (FR) 7-2jt-fav (11-12) Held up, headway 10th, outpaced 3 out, ran on close home, 2nd of 8, 10l behind Shannon's Pride (11-8) at Hexham 2m 4f cnd hcp chs 0-105 (4) gs.
Log On Intersky (IRE) 10-1 (10-10) With leaders, reminders after 10th, lost place approaching next, behind when pulled up 4 out in race won by Strong Resolve (11-11) at Haydock 3m hcp chs 0-120 (3) gd in Oct, 9 ran.
Lusaka De Pembo (FR) 6-4fav (11-1) Led, mistake 4 out, soon ridden and headed, weakened 3 out, 4th of 7, 15l behind Island of Memories (10-2) at Uttoxeter 2m hcp chs 0-110 (4) gs.
Wain Mountain 28-1 (10-8) Mid-division, blundered 7th and lost place, slightly hampered 10th (Becher's), soon well behind, 14th of 29, well behind Liberthine (10-4) at Aintree 2m 5f hcp chs 0-150 (2) gd in Apr.
Mixsterthetrixster (USA) 11-2 (11-7) Mid-division, headway 9th, every chance 4 out, ridden 3 out, weakened approaching last, 4th of 11, 13l behind Cameron Bridge (10-13) at Worcester 2m 4f hcp chs 0-125 (3) gf in Jun.
Soeur Fontenail (FR) 9-1 (11-5) Led, blundered 2nd, headed 8th, led 10th to 2 out, soon no chance, 4th of 6, 4l behind Master T (11-10) at Plumpton 2m 4f hcp chs 0-110 (4) gd in Oct.