Armaturk leads Topham challengers

Armaturk heads 39 horses standing their ground at the confirmation stage in the John Smith’s Topham Chase at Aintree on Friday.

The 10-year-old’s trainer Paul Nicholls has two other possibles in Le Volfoni and Turthen for the handicap over two miles, five and a half furlongs of the Grand National course.

The weights will go up by at least 2lbs at Nicholls has taken out the original top-weight, Nozic.

David Pipe can choose from Vodka Bleu and Milan Deux Mille while the John Spearing-trained Hakim, runner-up to Liberthine 12 months, may try to go one better.

Other interesting acceptors include the Nigel Twiston-Davies-trained duo of Irish Raptor and Patman Du Charmil, Charles Egerton’s Graphic Approach and Len Lungo’s Brooklyn Breeze.

There are five possibles from Ireland – Our Ben, Ground Ball, On The Net, Always and Lost Time.