13:45

Irish raider Winter Fog is the current market favourite and with good reason. The eight year old went off as co-favourite at Cheltenham and did well to finish 4th behind both Third Wind and Mill Green who reoppose once again. Now better off at the weights with that duo I expect him to go even closer and although he has a field of 22 to contend with this looks a weaker race than the field he contested at the festival. Emmet Mullins knows how to get the best out of horses of this nature and he should be able to do so once more.

 

Another runner who produced a solid performance is Christopher Wood. The Venetia Williams trained runner claimed 6th in the Coral Cup at a massive price and seems to have turned a corner since joining her yard from his previous residence at the Paul Nicholls’ stable. With solid runners up finishes behind some top-class runners in the form of Good Risk At All and Tommy’s Oscar (who competed in the Champion Hurdle) a race of this nature may well be within his grasps and looks too good to ignore at a decent price.

 

At another big price Emitom might be worth a market check especially with the interesting jockey booking of Rachael Blackmore. He was seen as a promising chasing type a few seasons back but has failed to live up to expectations over the bigger obstacles. It’s perhaps easy to forget he once finished 4th in a Stayers Hurdle and if he’s near his best has enough in the locker to outrun his odds.

 

Of the remainder course and distance winner If The Cap Fits loves it here at Aintree and cannot be discounted and Serious Charges aims to make it four wins on the spin.

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