Aintree Saturday Preview

The first race of the day at Aintree on Saturday sees the Class 3 Virgin Bet Handicap Chase and Nicky Henderson sends his seven year old Follow The Bear.

This gelding has already had a superb season racing four times during the summer, winning three of them and placing on his final start of the season at Worcester.

There is no reason why he should not progress again for what he has already done this year and having ran to a good standard in better races than this so far this term he looks the one to beat.

The Novices Hurdle over two and a half miles sees a decent field go to post and the top weighted Mossy Fen for Nigel Twiston-Davies looks the one to beat.

The four year old gelding won an Irish point and then this season on his debut for the yard and his rules debut won a six runner novice event at Worcester.

That was a very taking performance that day and he will only come on for the run which makes him a very exciting prospect.

The Class 3 Handicap Chase is another competitive contests and The Last Day for trainer Evan Williams is having his first start of the season and could be something special.

Last season he raced four times, falling on his debut but after that got the hang of things going on to place in two events and winning on his final start.

That win came at Carlisle in March and having not been seen since then it should have give him plenty of time to improve at home and his trainer is in very smart form.

In the Class 2 Handicap Chase we fancy the Phillip Hobbs trained War Sound who is looking to land back to back renewals of this contest.

The gelding isn't the most straight forward of horses and will have to be at his best to take this contest for a second time but only two pounds higher than that win last year makes him very appealing.

Phillip Hobbs has started the season in flying form for not the first time in his training career and it makes War Sound very hard not to back at a decent each way price.

Dan Skelton is another trainer in superb form of late with some nice winners this week heading into an action backed weekend and in the Class 2 Handicap Hurdle he fields Diomede Des Mottes.

This six year old gelding is a fairly consistent runner that has raced twice already this season winning on his debut at Southwell before a decent fourth last time out when stepped down in trip.

Back up to three miles in soft conditions for this race plays to his strengths and only two pounds higher than his seasonal debut win should see him in the mix.

The Class 2 Virgin Bet Hurdle over two miles and half sees many familiar faces head to post and one of them that we like is Roksana in a quick-fire Skelton double.

This mare was ultra consistent last season getting better with every run and eventually, although getting some luck, landed the Grade One Mares Hurdle at the Cheltenham festival.

The seven year old looks to have stayed over hurdles for the season and off the back of that Cheltenham win and her second in the Grade One Stayers Hurdle at Aintree she is the one to beat.

The final runner of the day comes in the Class 4 Bumper over 2 miles 1 furlong and Quick Draw for Tom Lacey takes the eye with a shrewd jockey booking of Nico De Boinville.

This three year old son of Getaway is owned by top connections and Tom Lacey is normally a very successful trainer under the radar with his bumper horses and he looks to have another gem here.

The youngster did not cost that much compared to others but could be one for the future if going well in this.