‘Bolted up in a Grade 2’ - Which Cheltenham Festival absentees could head to Aintree? The Cheltenham Festival is behind us once again but we shouldn’t be consumed by sadness, as there’s loads of top-drawer racing to look forward to before the National Hunt season comes to an end. Top of that list is Aintree’s Grand National Festival and the three-day feast takes place next month. Cheltenham runners have mixed records at Aintree, so it might be worth siding with horses who skipped the Festival for one reason or another. Here are four Cheltenham absentees who could be very dangerous at Aintree. Narciso Has This horse was the long-term ante-post favourite for the Triumph Hurdle but a late setback led to him missing that race. Obviously there’s a good chance he’ll end up at Punchestown, but Willie Mullins often sends a good one over for the Grade 1 four-year-old hurdle at Aintree. Narciso Has appeared to need the run when second on his Irish debut behind Highland Crystal, but he left that run well behind him when bolting up in a Grade 2 at Leopardstown over Christmas. He beat Selma De Vary by four-and-a-half lengths in Grade 1 company next time and that filly finished a length closer to the winner in the Triumph Hurdle. If taking that form literally, Narciso Has would be very hard to beat if heading over to Aintree. Salvator Mundi It has taken him a little while to get going this season but he bounced right back to his best when bolting up by 28 lengths in a beginners’ chase at Thurles in February. Skipping Cheltenham was a deliberate plan and it’s very easy to see why. Winning the Top Novices' Hurdle at Aintree last season, he kicked seven lengths clear of Romeo Coolio that day. The Maghull Novices’ Chase looks like the perfect target for him now and a second successive Aintree success could well be on the agenda. Talk To The Man Paul Nicholls has had a torrid season so far and he drew a blank at the Cheltenham Festival, albeit from a small pool of runners. No Drama This End’s disappointment will be hard to take but he has another very promising novice who could go to Aintree. Talk To The Man has won his last two starts over hurdles and it surely won’t be long before he steps up in grade. Both the 2m4f and three-mile novice hurdles at Aintree would be open to him and we’ll learn plenty about him if he lines up at the Merseyside track next month. Leader d’Allier Another one for Mullins, he was an intended runner in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle last week but missed the engagement due to lameness. It’s unlikely that it’s a serious issue so he could be one for Punchestown or Aintree. Mullins will want to separate his novices as much as possible and one way of doing that is to send some to Aintree. Leader d’Allier finished second to Ballyfad on his hurdling debut but went one better in good style at Punchestown in January. The best is yet to come.
