Longer trip ideal for Aitmatov
The enigmatic Aitmatov is the hopeful nap choice in the best contest of the day, the Cat Busters Hurdle.
He is very much an in-and-out performer, who doesn’t always condescend to put his best foot forward.
The nine-year-old did, however, return in good shape at Tipperary earlier in the month, over a trip, two miles, which was all too short.
Aitmatov ran a cracking race to finish a length and a quarter second to stable companion Donnas Palm and if in that sort of mood now has to go close.
Noel Meade trains Aitmatov and also runs Silverhand, the choice of Paul Carberry. That’s obviously disconcerting, but this game is littered with jockeys getting it wrong.
Silverhand is progressive and three years younger than his rival, but there is still no getting away from the fact would be 19lbs better in if this was a handicap.
Sizing Australia has a wealth of experience under his belt and can finally get off the mark over fences in the Liams Legends 2010 Beginners Chase.
Runner-up in this race a year ago, Henry de Bromhead’s charge produced some particularly decent efforts subsequently in contests over the banks at Punchestown and especially at Cheltenham.
Gordon Elliott's Toner d’Oudairies is the interesting one in the Kens Kings U.21 Champs of 2010 three-year-old Maiden Hurdle. This is a French import, who won a bumper last time in the provinces at Le Lion-d’Angers. He is now owned by Gigginstown House Stud, an organisation which certainly knows the time of day.
