General can take charge
He departed at the first in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham, contest won by Menorah, and was then sent on a retrieving mission to Aintree.
The selection didn’t disappoint, buckling down when the need was greatest from the final flight to beat Menorah by a neck.
Barry Geraghty partners the five-year-old for Nicky Henderson and this would be the icing on the cake for a duo who have developed into a particularly potent combination.
Flat Out was fifth to Menorah at Cheltenham and has a lot to find with General Miller, strictly on that running.
But it was only the third run over flights for Willie Mullins’ charge and he has lots of scope for improvement.
Most valuable contest of the day is the richly-endowed boylesports.com Champion Chase over two miles.
This has a fascinating appearance, for which solid cases can be made for Twist Magic, Forpadydeplasterer, Kalahari King and Sizing Europe.
Twist Magic was already being ridden when blundering badly four out in the two-mile Champion Chase at Cheltenham and was soon pulled up.
He could easily bounce back to his best, while Forpadydeplasterer was runner-up to Big Zeb in the Champion Chase and had Kalahari King behind in third on that occasion.
Forpadydeplasterer, however, has since had a hard race behind Albertas Run at Aintree, with Kalahari King taking a crashing tumble at the second in the same contest.
Perhaps, Sizing Europe will make the giant stride out of novice company and beat them all, having landed the Arkle at Cheltenham in game fashion.
He is not your typical raw novice, but rather a mature eight-year-old, who was a high-class hurdler and has shown in the past his liking for Punchestown.
The Midnight Club gets the vote in the Growise Champion Novice Chase, now that he finally gets what’s needed, three miles and more.
He is a thorough stayer, who found two miles and five all too short when third to Copper Bleu at Cheltenham.
