Grade One Betway Bowl Guide 2021

Dual King George winner Clan Des Obeaux is looking to get back to winning ways having now gone four races without success and his handler Paul Nicholls is hoping that the addition of headgear will bring him forward at Aintree in the Grade One Betway Bowl.

Last season he started his term off over in Northern Ireland in November with Nicholls sending him into the Grade One Champion Chase at Down Royal and he finished a smart second behind Road To Respect and it worked out to be the perfect prep run ahead of the King George VI.

He went on to become a dual King George winner on Boxing Day 2019 and looked to add a third on the 26th December 2020 having had a superb prep run at Haydock.

Having not gone down the same route as last year with heading over to Down Royal, Nicholls took Clan Des Obeaux to the Merseyside track for the Grade One Betfair Chase.

Having ran a stormer the whole way round, the heavy ground in the final stages told and saw him finish a close second to triple winner of the race Bristol De Mai.

He headed to Kempton full of confidence, but unfortunately it was not to be with stablemate Frodon stealing the show.

Last time out he was seen at Newbury in the Grade Two Denman Chase, which he won last year, but this time he around he was narrowly outstayed by stablemate Secret Investor.

All of these runs have been preparing him for a big run in this event and he has leading claims.

Native River started last season off at Aintree in the Grade Two Many Clouds Chase and went on to take the contest by over 50 lengths, with the field including Might Bite and Black Corton.

Now slightly older Tizzard had to be more patient with him and he was given some time after the race and reappeared at Newbury in the Denman Chase which he won by four lengths for the third time in his career.

That was a perfect prep run ahead of the festival with the ground being much quicker than he usually liked but he did what he always does best and stayed better than the rest of the field.

However, he did not end up running in the Gold Cup and was seen for the first time in the race he won last year at Aintree when finishing a close third of five.

Next time out he gave one of his best performances of his career, being the age he is, he went on to land the Grade Two Cotswold Chase, seeing off Lostintranslation and Santini with ease.

Last time out he headed into his fourth straight Gold Cup and finished best of the British into fourth behind Minella Indo, A Plus Tard and Al Boum Photo

Native River owes nothing to anyone having had a superb career and always running his race and a big performance in this race could see just see him go down into horse racing folklore.

The son of Flemensfirth has only been seen a few times over the last few years, being patiently waited on by her trainer, but this season has been twice in quick concession, in very differing events.

The 10 year old made his seasonal debut in the King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day, going on to do his best work late on over Christmas to finish a good second behind Frodon.

That run suggested that he would be staying over the long trips, but in January he was supplemented late for the Grade One Clarence House Chase over two miles at Ascot.

Although it came as a shock Waiting Patiently has been not shy of running over that trip and had previous of performing well at the Berkshire track winning the Ascot Chase back in 2019.

However, on the day he could only finish a tame third of eight with the leader First Flow going on to dominate the contest and that has seemingly made up the decision for the trainer to not send him straight into the Cheltenham festival.

Being saved for this event is a big positive and getting back to a staying trip could bring out the best in him.

The five time Cheltenham festival winner made his seasonal debut at Navan on the flat over 1 mile 6 furlongs this season and although only beating a few home, Elliott was happy with his blow out and believed it was just what he needed ahead of the season.

The yard explained that last year did not go to plan with Tiger Roll picking up an injury which impacted how his season played out, only being able to finish a long way second to Easysland in the Cross Country Chase at Prestbury Park.

However, this season the plan was to head back to Cheltenham ahead of the National in April and let the horse try and land a third consecutive renewal of the race.

Unfortunately for the racing world that will now not be the case, but they have still sent him to Aintree, strangely contesting the Grade One Betway Bowl.

He heads into the race off the back of his best run, since his second win in the Grand National when reversing the form with Easysland in the Cross Country Chase at the Cheltenham festival.

A horse of a lifetime that comes alive at Aintree and he is seeking his third straight victory at the track.

Would be a popular winner.

The eight year old has been a fair chaser for many years, but has really taken his form to a new level this term when placing and winning in some competitive handicap events.

On seasonal debut he managed to finish a narrow second to Nuts Well in the Grade Two Old Roan Chase and then last time out got off the mark in fine style At Newbury in a decent Handicap off top weight.

He looks to be much better than a handicapping horse now and proved that on his last start when finishing a staying on third of eight on the Grade Two Peterborough Chase at Cheltenham.

He finished behind the likes of Mr Fisher and Kalashnikov that day which is decent form.

Next time out he stayed at Grade Two level in the small fielded Silviniaco Conti Chase at Kempton and was a fair second behind Master Tommytucker.

Clondaw Castle last time out was stepped up to three miles and he revelled in it beating a good field in a Grade Three Handicap Chase at Kempton and although needing to prove it at this level, he has been progressive this season.

Hailing from Nicky Henderson’s yard, Mister Fisher sealed his first win over fences over course and distance last season as a novice. 

He dropped back down to two miles to win the Lightening Novices’ chase on his next start, he rounded out last season coming fourth in a strong renewal of the Marsh behind Samcro. 

This season started poorly with him failing to complete in the Paddy Power Gold Cup, before bouncing straight back to form to win a Grade Two over 2m4f at Cheltenham again. 

The rescheduled Peterborough Chase win on his second to last start saw him give his career best this season, but at the festival he was poor beyond belief.

Heading into the Ryanair Chase and tipped to go well, the gelding smacked nearly every fence and was pulled up before the finish, with his run to bad to be true.

The Seven Barrows team have now decided to try him over this extended trip and it looks in more hope than glory.

One of the big profile movers this season making the switch from Willie Mullins to Paul Nicholls. Another who contested last years’ Gold Cup.

Real Steel travelled like a dream into the race for Brian Hughes but his stamina didn’t quite last the three miles and two furlongs as he faded back into sixth. 

The eight year old notched up some smart form in Ireland for Mullins and scored an emphatic victory over Footpad in January 2020. 

For Nicholls this season, he ran well on stable debut to be third behind Imperial Aura over two mile five furlongs at Ascot, fitness getting the better of him late. 

Last seen in the King George at Kempton he looked to be getting into contention before a mistake slowed his momentum. He slowly weakened away and failed to complete. 

It’d be hard to give him much of a chance from what we’ve seen this season, but may be fresher than most.

The Venetia Williams trained animal although not winning for two years has put up some superb performances in much better races than this and now being dropped into this company, receiving weight off some in the field, it makes him a logical value bet.

The gelding finished a close second behind Frodon in the 2019 Ryanair Chase and has also finished a good third in the Grade Two Charlie Hall Chase over three miles at Wetherby.

Having been racing in tough events, his mark finally started to drop and two starts ago at Warwick nearly made that count when second behind Two For Gold.

He then headed to Kelso at the start of March in the Listed Premier Handicap Chase and he was a well beaten second behind Grand National favourite Cloth Cap.

Last time out he was chucked into the Gold Cup with no real hope and thats exactly how he raced, finishing eighth of 12.

opposable.

The final runner of the race is the Andrew Martin trained Militarian that looks to have been saved for this event, not racing since December.

The gelding is the big 125/1 outsider of the race, having only been seen twice this season and not showing a great deal of ability at a low level, meaning that being pitched into Grade One company should make him vulnerable.

He made his seasonal debut at Ascot in the Sodexo Gold Cup when finishing a fair third, but after that went to Cheltenham and finished eighth of 17 in the Caspian Caviar Gold Cup.

Stepping back up in trip will be a huge positive but at this level needs much more in performance and ratings.