FAKIR D'OUDAIRIES can win the Marsh Chase (Registered As The Melling Chase) (GBB Race) (3.25pm) on the second day of the 2021 Randox Grand National Festival at Aintree Racecourse.
Ireland were dominant at last month’s Cheltenham Festival, but they haven’t sent the same amount of runners over to Aintree - but one of them, Fakir D’Oudaries, can land the feature on Ladies Day on Merseyside.
Jeseph O'Brien's six-year-old was taken out of a race at Fairyhouse on Easter Monday to wait for this 2m4f Grade One contest. And it can prove to be a wise move as he can score.
He finished second over hurdles in the Grade One as a juvenile at this meeting two years ago and although he only has two wins in 10 chase starts since, he rarely runs a bad race.
He has a Grade One win at Fairyhouse to his name and was second – for a second successive year at the Cheltenham Festival – in the Ryanair Chase last month, one of several fine placed efforts.
He had no answer to Allaho there, but he remains open to more improvement and can grab a deserved success ahead of last year’s winner Politologue and Dashel Drasher.
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RAVENHILL ROAD can win the Grade Three Randox Topham Handicap Chase (GBB Race) (4.05pm) – the second race of the meeting run over the Grand National fences.
Trainer Sue Smith and jockey Ryan Mania won the Grand National with Auroras Encore in 2013 and were also one of the few British winners at the recent Cheltenham Festival with Vintage Clouds.
And they may be able to grab another victory at a big meeting with Ravenhill Road.
The 10-year-old landed a superb front-running victory at Doncaster last month and similar prominent tactics have been successful in the Topham over the years.
Despite going up 9lb for that win, he still carries just 10st7lb here and if he takes to the fences – which he should – he can go very close to another success.
Trainer Nicky Henderson may not have won the Grand National but he has a record six successes in the Topham Chase and has four runners this time.
Morning Vicar and Lust For Glory both look to have decent chances of adding to his record and looks dangers in a typically competitive renewal.
Henderson may already have had a winner by then with Cheltenham Festival scorer CHANTRY HOUSE doubling up in the Grade One Betway Mildmay Novices’ Chase (GBB Race) (2.50pm).
The seven-year-old took full advantage of Envoi Allen’s fall to win the Marsh Novices’ Chase at Prestbury Park in good style.
Chantry House looks an improving chaser and can continue that progress with another victory.
Chris Wright's top 10 contenders for the 2021 Grand National
Henderson’s DUSART also looks an exciting prospect and could start a Grade One double for the Seven Barrows handler in the Betway Top Novices’ Hurdle (GBB Race) (2.20pm).
The six-year-old has had one start for Henderson, but made a good impression when comfortably landing a Novices’ Hurdle contest at Newbury at the end of November.
He hasn’t been seen since and connections probably bypassed Cheltenham with this race in mind. Henderson has won it five times in the past decade and Dusart can make that six.
Paul Nicholls’ BRAVESMANSGAME found Bob Olinger too hot to handle when third in the Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham. But without the Irish star here and stepped up to three miles he can resume winning ways in the Grade One Doom Bar Sefton Novices’ Hurdle (GBB Race) (4.40pm).
The six-year-old rattled off a hat-trick of wins before that, most impressively in the Grade One Challow Hurdle at Newbury over Christmas. He still remains an improving sort and can grab a fourth win in six starts over hurdles.
Colin Tizzard’s AMARILLO SKY can take the opener, the Grade Three Pertemps Network Handicap Hurdle GBB Race) (1.45pm).
In another hotly-contested event the five-year-old can take advantage of a featherweight to get the better of Dan Skelton’s Wilde About Oscar and Henderson’s Monte Cristo.
Merseyside-born trainer Donald McCain’s GOOBINATOR may win the finale, the Pinsent Masons Handicap Hurdle (Conditional Jockeys’ And Amateur Riders’ Race) (GBB Race) (5.15pm).
Wright Ones at Grand National Festival
AINTREE DAY TWO
1.45pm Amarillo Sky
2.20pm Dusart
2.50pm Chantry House
3.25pm Fakir D'Oudairies
4.05pm Ravenhill Road (NAP)
4.50pm Bravemansgame
5.15pm Goobinator
