Just one selection for the first day of this year's Grand National meeting.
The Kalooki Kid takes his chance in the opening Manifesto Novices' Chase (1.45) yet looks to face a stiff task in this Grade 1 contest.
Seven of his eight rivals boast a higher rating - Nicky Richards' charge has some 21 pounds to find with Arkle winner Jango Baie. That said, connections hold their grey in high regard and think he'll be good enough to compete in competitive handicaps such as the Paddy Power Gold Cup in the future; at the time of writing bet365 and William Hill offer 33/1 (three places) but I'm not tempted.
Four years ago Ahoy Senor went into everyone's notebook after beating Bravemansgame seven lengths in the Sefton Novices' Hurdle at odds of 66/1 on just his second start over hurdles.
Lucinda Russell's charge hasn't seen a hurdle in public since; over fences he has tended to look like a horse with a mistake in him.
His very best form is over the Mildmay fences - his record reads 13223, with two of those defeats behind Shishkin in the 2023 Aintree Bowl and Gerri Colombe in last year's renewal. He takes his chance again this year (3.30) but that looked a bit of a crunching fall he took in the Gold Cup just 20 days ago...
With a few layers paying five places, I'm going to take a chance on one in the Foxhunters' Open Hunters' Chase (4.05), the first race of the meeting run over the National fences.
Current favourite Willitgoahead ran into a place behind Wonderwall in the St James's Place Open Hunters' Chase - often referred to as the amateur riders' Gold Cup - at the Festival 20 days ago (Ontheropes eighth, Bardenstown Lad eleventh). The step back in trip here wouldn't necessarily play to his strengths.
Mr William Biddick was in the plate when Famous Clermont beat Bennys King in this race in 2023 while Bennys King and Annamix finished second and third respectively behind Its On The Line last year.
This year Mr Biddick is aboard My Drogo who, back in 2021, won the Grade 1 Mersey Novices' Hurdle at this meeting. Owned and bred by Mr & Mrs Richard Kelvin-Hughes, My Drogo was moved out of Dan Skelton's yard in December, presumably with this race as a target.
A pertinent piece of form is the Walrus Open Hunters' Chase run at Haydock seven weeks ago.
That day My Drogo reeled in Gracchus De Balme after the last, with Jet Plane, following a bad mistake at the final flight, finishing third, some six lengths behind the winner.
10 days later Gracchus De Balme was pulled up behind Bennys King in the Cottesmore Open Hunters' Chase at Leicester (Autonomous Cloud second, Bothwell Bridge third).
At 14 years of age Bennys King is the oldest horse in this race but on past form he'll have more behind him than in front at the finish.
Lifetime Ambition's fourth over these fences behind Al Dancer in the 2022 Grand Sefton is noteworthy; Percussion has performed well over these fences in the past but is likely to be outpaced at this distance.
Senior Citizen has been placed in a Grand Sefton and a Topham when trained by Alan King; on his first run for Alan Hill he won a three mile point 15 lengths and apparently underwent wind surgery less than three weeks ago.
Coming back to that Haydock form, there wouldn't be an awful lot between My Drogo and Gracchus De Balme, while Jet Plane would have finished closer to the leading pair with a better leap at the last. The market doesn't reflect the form with My Drogo 6/1 generally, Gracchus De Balme 20/1 and Jet Plane 28/1.
Gracchus De Balme is tempting but the Leicester run is disconcerting - just 10 days after Haydock it probably came too quickly. At the prices, I'll chance Jet Plane.
Jet Plane is the each-way selection, at the time of writing 28/1 with William Hill who pay five places.
