4.10pm Vautour fall leaves way open for God’s Own
Chris Cook: The Ladies’ Day crowd at the Grand National Festival witnessed a seismic shock in Friday’s big race when Vautour crashed out of the Melling Chase at about halfway, taking with him a small fortune in bets including a single reported stake of £80,000. The much-admired steeplechaser, a controversial winner of the ‘wrong’ race at the Cheltenham Festival, was supposed to be a good thing and was sent off at odds of 1-5 but clipped the top of the first fence in the back straight, the ninth overall, and found himself on the turf.
That left just five runners, none of whom had started at shorter than 15-2. In the end, it was the 10-1 shot God’s Own who powered home for a classy success over Al Ferof, the pair well clear of Clarcam, Somersby and Vibrato Valtat.
Victory aboard God’s Own continues an excellent week for the jockey Paddy Brennan, who had also won a Grade One on Thursday here aboard Cue Card.
Vautour and his jockey, Ruby Walsh, were both reported to be uninjured by their tumble. Their departure sealed a rough afternoon for punters, in stark contrast to the meeting’s opening day, with the first race being won by a 33-1 shot and none of the first four races going to a favourite.
3.20pm River flows smooth from the front in Mildmay Chase
Native River ground his rivals into submission to post a game front-running success in the Betfred Mildmay Novice Chase at Aintree.
The six-year-old chalked up his third victory of the campaign - and a first in Grade One company - when going one better than in the National Hunt Chase at the Cheltenham Festival last time out.
Making use of his assured stamina, Richard Johnson wasted no time in getting Colin Tizzard’s runner to the head of affairs in the three-mile-one-furlong event.
Although looking a sitting duck approaching the third-last, with Blaklion, Un Temps Pour Tout, Henri Parry Morgan and Ballyalton all still to play their hands, the 11-2 winner was in no mood to surrender his lead.
While most in behind failed to find as much as seemed likely, Native River kicked on again on the run down to last, and after clearing it with another bold leap, he powered up the run-in to score by three lengths from Henri Parry Morgan.
Having drawn a blank at Cheltenham Festival, it was a welcome big-race winner for Johnson.
The popular rider will be crowned champion jockey for the first time on the final day of the campaign at Sandown, but this was surprisingly his first Grade One winner of the season.
He said: “Cheltenham was frustrating and today, after finishing second in the first race, you feel like it’s never going to happen. This horse has jumped really well and every time I asked him he kept responding. All the way from the second-last to the winning post, he kept giving me a bit more, which is all you can ask from a racehorse.
“He ran a great race at Cheltenham and Colin Tizzard’s horses are in great form. I’ve had a great season, but to have a winner at a Festival does cap it all. It’s fantastic.”
The trainer’s son and assistant, Joe Tizzard, said: “These are very special days and hats off to Dickie [Johnson], he’s given him a cracking ride. The horse is a bit lazy, but he just keeps galloping. He ran very well at Cheltenham and today he was better again, perhaps. He’s a lovely horse and he’s improving all the time.”
2.55pm Air floats home in Top Novice Hurdle
Buveur D’Air showed his resolve for a battle when posting a tenacious success in the Imagine Cruising First In The Frame Top Novice Hurdle at Aintree.
After finishing third in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, the Nicky Henderson-trained gelding went two places better in the Grade One prize on Merseyside.
Held up early on in close proximity to favourite Limini, the 11-4 shot travelled smoothly into the extended two-mile contest under Noel Fehily before going after leader Petit Mouchoir after two out.
With little to separate the pair over the last, it was only inside the final 100 yards that the five-year-old forged ahead before defeating the Willie Mullins-trained runner by a neck.
Winning rider Noel Fehily said: “It worked out well. I didn’t intend to be as far back as I was, but it’s just where I ended up when the tapes went back.
“We went a good, strong gallop. He’s just a very good horse and I love him to bits. He’s as good a jumper of a hurdle as I’ve ever sat on.”
Henderson said: “We’ve always wondered whether this fellow needed to go up to two and a half (miles) and that was the big question about today. It was either take on Yorkhill [over two and a half] or Limini. We’ve stuck to two and we’ve got away with it.
“Noel has given him a lovely ride because he can be quite keen still - he races like a two-miler, but perhaps he’s going to get the two and a half. He’s travelled well and he’s done everything right. He took his time to get past him [Petit Mouchoir], but I think he stays well.” PA
Friday’s best bets, by Chris Cook
I’ve previewed today’s TV races from Aintree here. Henry Parri Morgan (2.50) is down to 14-1 but still looks fine each-way value to me in the novice chase. Cocktails At Dawn (4.05) doesn’t seem to have attracted much attention at all in the Topham and you can still get 22-1. Of course, the going could be too much on the soft side but his other credentials are excellent and the odds available more than compensate for the risk of his getting sunk in the mud.
In the non-TV races, I’m giving another chance to Starchitect (1.40) in the opening handicap. He ran a big race when fifth in the County and got shuffled back at a crucial stage on the home turn. The longer distance should help and he’s 8-1.
Skybet Grand National tipping competition, day five
Our winners so far:
Monday
Draytonian 8-1
Dadsintrouble 20-1
Mustmeetalady 8-1
Tuesday
Stamp Hill 7-2
Almost Gemini 7-2
Tanarpino 7-1
Wednesday
Sinfonietta 9-1
Lackaday 13-2
Viscount Barfield 4-1
Thursday
Cue Card 6-5
Annie Power 4-9
On The Fringe 15-8
And our leader is:
cornsay +36.64
… who benefited from a day for the favourites on Thursday whilst many of those behind tried to hit an outsider. Other good scores: 23skidoo +15.14, Bonzodrongo +14, BearRides +9, ID1078450 +5.64, Crasivo +4.50.
For today’s thrilling climax, we’d like your tips, please, for these races: 2.50 Aintree, 4.05 Aintree, 4.40 Aintree.
This week’s prize, kindly offered by Skybet, is a £100 bet on this week’s Grand National!
As ever, our champion will be the tipster who returns the best profit to notional level stakes of £1 at starting price on our nominated races, of which there will be three each day up until Friday. Non-runners count as losers. If you have not joined in so far this week, you are welcome to do so today but you will start on -12.
IF YOU THINK YOU MAY HAVE WON, watch out for an email from us tonight, when we will try to arrange the prize for the winner. Or you could specify on here how you would like your £100 bet to be staked in the event of success, which would make things easier.
In the event of a tie at the end of the week, the winner will be the tipster who, from among those tied on the highest score, posted their tips earliest on the final day (TODAY).
For terms and conditions click here.
Good luck!
And post your tips or racing-related comments below.
