Rule Supreme sticks to hurdles
The County Carlow handler had been deliberating whether to send his versatile nine-year-old over timber or fences, but the lack of significant rainfall has forced his hand.
“From what I can gather they didn’t get as much rain in Liverpool last night as they expected, and the ground is pretty good,” said Mullins.
“If it was soft we might have gone over fences, and the fact David Casey couldn’t ride if we went over fences was an issue, but the ground for this meeting was the key issue.
“If ‘good’ was in the going description then we didn’t think there was any point in going over fences this time.”
Rule Supreme will face eight rivals in the John Smith’s And Batleys Liverpool Hurdle that opens the meeting, after finishing third in the Ladbrokes World Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.
Inglis Drever and Baracouda, who finished ahead of him that day, are absent, although fourth-placed Westender will reoppose.
“Westender was only a couple of lengths behind us and the track at Aintree won’t be as testing at Cheltenham, which might suit him, but it is an extra half a furlong and that might help us,” added Mullins.
“He will go to Punchestown after this week and will be entered in both the Guinness Chase and the three-mile hurdle race, but which one he goes for depends on the ground.”
First Gold will face seven rivals when he attempts to win his third Betfair Bowl.
Francois Doumen’s star chaser took the race when it was known as the Martell Cup in 2001 and again two years later.
He was second to Tiutchev in the Grade Two contest 12 months ago, but has not won for almost two years and, as a result, the 12-year-old escapes a penalty for the £150,000 event.
He will receive 10lb from Grey Abbey, Thisthatandtother and his old rival Tiutchev, and 6lb from totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup third Sir Rembrandt.
Tony McCoy takes the ride on First Gold, who will as usual be equipped with blinkers.
First Gold runs here instead of the John Smith’s Grand National tomorrow when he would have had to carry 11st 11lb.
“It is a track he knows very well - better than he would have known the Grand National track,” explained Doumen yesterday.
“Top weight in the Grand National statistically is a very difficult thing to face and we had a problem finding a jockey for the Grand National. He also gets 10lb off the better ones tomorrow.
“All these things together made me choose tomorrow’s race. The horse is in such good form despite being a 12-year-old, so let’s go for it.
“Tactically, he’s quite happy near the front.
“It all depends what the pace is going to be and the ground, but Tony will know what to do so I’ll leave it to him.”
First Gold ran well to be second to Lord Transcend at Haydock Park in January, but was pulled up at Newbury on his most recent outing on March 5.
Doumen continued: “I wanted to give him a race before Aintree and the only suitable date was the Newbury race.
“The horse at 12 can be a bit sulky when he finds the rhythm is not what he is used to. He just sulked and Tony was absolutely right not to let him do the last three jumps.
“He had a good blow and he is now absolutely fine for his next race.”
Sir Rembrandt requires a true test of stamina and he usually reserves his best runs for stiffer tracks.
Trainer Robert Alner’s wife Sally said: “He’s been fine since Cheltenham. We could just do with a hill in the middle of Aintree.
“There aren’t too many races at Cheltenham and Chepstow for him, and those are his places.
“I hope they have a lot more rain up there.”
Thisthatandtother, winner of the inaugural running of the Daily Telegraph Trophy at the Cheltenham Festival, will be trying three miles for the first time.
Cheltenham Gold Cup fifth Grey Abbey is another in the field who will appreciate any cut in the ground at Aintree.
