Ruby Walsh: Jonbon ready to rock at Aintree
Jonbon was no match for Constitution Hill at Cheltenham but can get back to winning ways at Aintree. Picture: Healy Racing.
Ladies’ Day at Aintree kicks off with a 22-runner handicap hurdle with very little Irish participation. Gordon Elliott’s Tronador bids to follow up his win in this race last year but I like the other Irish runner, Politesse, who is trained by Lorna Fowler.
Some of the mare’s form is really good, including when she beat Fakiera in a maiden hurdle last season at Thurles. We haven’t seen her since she unseated in a Grade 3 chase won by Cape Gentleman in Cork but prior to that she beat Premium Package in a beginners’ chase.
I think she’s a really good mare, Conor Orr claims 3lbs off her, and she can exploit a pretty decent mark back over hurdles.
Willie Mullins sends El Fabiolo for the Grade One Top Novices’ Hurdle, but Jonbon will be all the rage. El Fabiolo hasn’t run since he beat Tempo Chapter Two in a maiden hurdle at Tramore in facile circumstances.
Jonbon sets the standard, but you also have his stablemate, First Street, who chased home State Man in the County Hurdle. They thought he was well handicapped on that occasion, and he was a little unlucky to run into State Man.
He has the same rating, 147, as Jonbon, but I just think the latter will show just how good Constitution Hill, who ran away from him in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle, could be.
Only four runners in the Mildmay Novices’ Chase but it shows you don’t need a big field to make a cracking race. Bravemansgame, L’Homme Presse, Ahoy Senor and Fury Road: What a race!
Fury Road hasn’t run since he disappointed behind Galopin Des Champs at the Dublin Racing Festival, while Bravemansgame skipped Cheltenham, withdrawn on the day because of the soft ground. Prior to that he had beaten Ahoy Senor at Kempton on St Stephen’s Day, and then beat Pat’s Fancy at Newbury. He’s a wonderful jumper and should come here as a fresh horse.
I have always been an Ahoy Senor fan and I still think he will be a very good horse as he progresses and learns to jump. But it has taken him a long time to get his jumping together and perhaps next season we’ll see the best of him.
L’Homme Presse has been spectacular this season. He has had five runs over fences and won them all. The last day, at Cheltenham, he beat Ahoy Senor in the Brown Advisory, and I loved the way he quickened in the last 100 yards. He is a Gold Cup horse in the making.
The feature is the Grade One Marsh Chase and to me it revolves around the first two in the betting: Fakir D’oudairies and Funambule Sivola.
The latter chased home Energumene in the Champion Chase, which was a career-best run. He has run over two and a half miles in the past but, to me, those runs were a little disappointing. He got caught close home by First Flow in the Peterborough Chase and was only ninth behind Vienna Court at Cheltenham in January.
While he stayed on well last time, I’m not sure stamina is his forte and for that reason I have to side with Fakir D’oudairies, who seems only to find Allaho too good for him. He won this race last year, and I think he can follow up having beaten Two For Gold in a Grade One at Ascot on his most recent start.
There’s a big field for the Topham but I don’t see a Livelovelaugh, who was spectacular last year, in this renewal. Willie runs Royal Rendezvous, but he seems better going right-handed.
Rachael Blackmore rides Notebook for Henry de Bromhead but, to my mind, he hasn’t dropped far enough in the handicap just yet to be competitive. Annamix pulled up at the Dublin Racing Festival but is bouncing now and, at 25-1, he could have an each-way shout.
The Sefton Novices’ Hurdle looks to be a sub-standard Grade One, but I like Archie Watson’s Stag Horn. He put up no show behind The Nice Guy in the Albert Bartlett, but I think Aintree will suit him better and he’ll appreciate the ground and the trip.
