Aintree - 13th April

Enjoyed a really good day at Aintree yesterday. We had a few drinks and a nice meal in Ormskirk after the racing and I even came out level on the betting front. Somewhat frustratingly I'm not able to post the bets I have that occur just before a race takes place but to be honest these are relatively few and far between. The Betfair Bowl was a nightmare race for me but I backed Menorah in the novice chase later in the card. I expected him to be around 3/1 when I looked at the race in the morning but 9/2 was freely available on course. I don't consider this to be a tipping blog though so I'm not over fussed.

The theme of today's racing for me is how poorly a few of Nicky Henderson's are running and the fact that two of his stable stars, Darlan and Finian's Rainbow, are short priced favourites. I think they both must be taken on. Darlan runs in the opening novice hurdle and he although he ran really well at Cheltenham that effort came after a heavy fall at Newbury in February and I think he might have had enough for the season now. Finian's Rainbow tries two and half miles over fences for the first time and he is way too short in the market given the fairly good chance that he won't stay or at least not be quite as effective pver this longer trip. I also think he was a tad fortunate in the Queen Mother at the Festival.

I've picked one out in each race and have had an each way double. Vulcanite in the Darlan's race will be better suited I feel to Aintree than Cheltenham where he emptied a bit after pulling early on. He ran well at Newbury the time before that and I think a flat track suits him better than a course like Cheltenham. I like Wishfull Thinking in the Melling Chase. He fell at the Festival but that was the first time he has come down over fences and I like the fact that he won here last year and the stable is in good order. I'm not too confident he will win but he doesn't deserve to be trading at longer odds than the likes of Kauto Stone and Poquelin.

Top Novices Hurdle:
Vulcanite (lost)

Melling Chase:
Wishfull Thinking

£20ew double @ 8/1 and 10/1

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