BLAZING Bailey exacted his revenge on Inglis Drever as the champion stayer again failed to fire at Aintree yesterday in the John Smith’s Great Float Social Club Liverpool Hurdle.

Blinkers worked the oracle for Blazing Bailey as Alan King’s charge took the opener on the first day of the Grand National meeting at Aintree.

Three-time Ladbrokes World Hurdle winner Inglis Drever stands as a giant obstacle in the way of Lough Derg picking up more Order Of Merit points in the John Smith´s Great Float Social Club Liverpool Hurdle on Thursday.

Nicky Richards is likely to send a strong team to Aintree next week, with the Robert Ogden-owned Palomar among his brighter hopes.

Rehearsal Chase winner Harmony Brig will bid for another valuable prize in the £60,000 TurfTV New Year Chase at Cheltenham on Tuesday.

FAASEL is all set to take his chance for Nicky Richards in the Boylesports.com Gold Cup at Cheltenham on Saturday.

DAVID Pipe has his fingers crossed the forecast dry week materialises to give Abragante a leading chance in Saturday’s Boylesports.com Gold Cup at Cheltenham.

Faasel is to be aimed at the Boylesports.com International at Cheltenham on December 15.

Paul Nicholls and Ruby Walsh followed up their double at Ayr on Friday by taking the opener with Poquelin on Coral Scottish Grand National day.

Aces Four, trained by Ferdy Murphy and ridden by Graham Lee, won the John Smith's Mildmay Novices' Chase, the opening race on day two of the 2007 Grand National meeting at Aintree.

My Way De Solzen (7-2) turned the tables on Fair Along in no uncertain terms by winning the Irish Independent Arkle Trophy in fantastic style.

Nicky Richards put the majority of his Cheltenham Festival prospects through their paces with a workout after racing at Ayr today.

Granit Jack came over from France with a huge reputation and it will be a big surprise if he cannot get off the mark in his division of the UBS “National Hunt” Novices’ Hurdle at Taunton.

Expensive Flat recruit Purple Moon is still on target for a possible crack at the John Smith’s Scottish Triumph Hurdle Trial at Musselburgh on February 4.

Philip Hobbs believes Noble Request will benefit from the run when he makes his seasonal reappearance in the £1 Million totetentofollow Elite Hurdle at Wincanton tomorrow.

Nicky Richards aims to run Monet’s Garden and Faasel in the two main supporting races on Scottish Grand National day at Ayr on Saturday week.

Hardy Eustace will face 17 rivals as he bids for a third Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle success at Cheltenham on Tuesday.

Richard Guest reached a half-century for the season when Move Over landed the Alan Thompson 75th Birthday Novices’ Handicap Chase at Catterick.

Dual Smurfit Champion Hurdle winner Hardy Eustace is down to 5-2 with totesport for a third success in the Cheltenham event after fellow Irish raider Feathard Lady was finally ruled out.

Jazz D’Estruval has been ruled out of the Hennessy Cognac Gold Cup at Leopardstown on February 12 after suffering a setback.

There were joyous scenes in the winner’s enclosure after Al Eile’s victory in the Commhoist Logistics Champion Hurdle Trial at Haydock, the highlight of a Timmy Murphy 98-1 four-timer.

AL EILE will take his chance in the Commhoist Logistics Champion Hurdle Trial at Haydock today despite trainer John Queally’s concerns about the ground.

Arcalis will put his Cheltenham Festival credentials on the line when he turns out in the Grade Two Commhoist Logistics Champion Hurdle Trial at Haydock on Saturday.

TRAINER Christy Roche has ruled No Where To Hyde out of the totesport Trophy at Newbury as he feels the horse has been harshly treated by the handicapper.

THE Jessica Harrington trained Studmaster, who helped end a nightmare run for the stable when landing the Pierse Hurdle on Sunday, and Martin Pipe’s lightly-raced novice hurdler Acambo are 10-1 joint favourite with the sponsors for the totesport Trophy at Newbury on February 11 following the publication of the weights.

Champion Hurdle hope Faasel is set to take his chance in the Commhoist Logistics Champion Hurdle Trial at Haydock at the weekend.

HARCHIBALD, runner-up in the Smurfit Champion Hurdle last spring, has been ruled out of a repeat bid on the day that 35 entries were announced for this year’s renewal on March 14.

KAUTO STAR, 7-2 favourite with the sponsors for the Victor Chandler Chase at Cheltenham, has been ruled out of the race by trainer Paul Nicholls.

Harchibald’s dramatic defeat in last season’s Champion Hurdle faded in the memory as he made amends with a dominant display to take the totesport Bula Hurdle at Cheltenham.

NOEL MEADE is hoping the ground remains on the good side ahead of Champion Hurdle runner-up Harchibald’s run in the totesport Bula Hurdle this afternoon.

Noel Meade is hoping the ground remains on the good side ahead of Champion Hurdle runner-up Harchibald’s run in the totesport Bula Hurdle tomorrow.

Nicky Richards has elected to allow Faasel to take his chance in the totesport Bula Hurdle rather than the “Relkeel” Hurdle at Cheltenham on Saturday.

BEST MATE’S ashes will be laid to rest behind the winning post at Cheltenham prior to racing there on Saturday week.

Faasel is set to continue his build-up to a possible Smurfit Champion Hurdle bid with an outing at Cheltenham on Saturday week.

ARCALIS could bypass tomorrow’s Pertemps ‘Fighting Fifth’ Hurdle due to unsuitable ground at Newcastle.

NICKY RICHARDS will rely on stable stalwart The French Furze in Saturday’s Pertemps ‘Fighting Fifth’ Hurdle at Newcastle.

Unoriginal it may be, but it is difficult to look past likely favourite Kicking King in the inaugural Betfair Chase at Haydock tomorrow.

Faasel is on course to make his seasonal reappearance at Haydock in two weeks’ time.

Jazz D’Estruval could make his seasonal debut in France next month according to his trainer Nicky Richards.

SOLERINA, a failure on the two occasions she has tried three miles, is napped to set the record straight in the Grade One Ballymore Properties Champion Stayers’ Hurdle at Punchestown this afternoon.

Britain will be strongly represented in tomorrow’s Colm McEvoy Auctioneers Champion Four Year Old Hurdle at Punchestown with three of the seven contenders.

Bookmakers were left reeling after suffering a succession of results that gave punters first-day honours hands down at Aintree today.

Howard Johnson’s decision to resist a tempting engagement in the John Smith’s Grand National with Grey Abbey could reap a rich dividend tomorrow when the 11-year-old lines up for the Betfair Bowl.

COLMAN SWEENEY (22) from Castlelyons, Co Cork, rode a magnificent race to land the Christie’s Foxhunters Chase on Sleeping Night for Paul Nicholls at Cheltenham yesterday.