Gigginstown House Stud’s Aintree squad The Eddie and Michael O’Leary-run Gigginstown House Stud operation is very important for National Hunt racing in Ireland and they have enjoyed loads of success when coming over to Britain. Whilst they didn’t manage to get any winners at Cheltenham, they’ll be looking to rectify that situation at Aintree. Here we look at some of their potential runners at the Merseyside track next month. Claim your free bets for Aintree with BetVictor Get the BetVictor sign up offer: Brighterdaysahead She never looked herself in the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham and her tame finishing effort was very out of character. This mare tends to hit the line hard, especially over two miles, and never appeared to be travelling as well as she usually does. Perhaps Cheltenham isn’t her track after all but she proved herself at Aintree last year when winning the 2m4f Mersey Novices' Hurdle. The result never looked in doubt that day and 2025 Coral Cup winner Jimmy Du Seuil was well beaten back in fourth. Two miles probably isn’t her ideal trip and the return to 2m4f would surely be a big positive. If Gordon Elliott can get her back to her best, she would have every chance of doing the business. Coko Beach Trainer Gordon Elliott has earmarked Coko Beach as a likely runner in the Grand National and comes into the race on an 11lb lower mark than when finishing 11th last year. His form so far this season hasn’t been the best but the handicapper has responded accordingly and he could run well. Others probably appeal more however and horses who have been beaten once or twice in the race before rarely come back and win it. Conflated This horse has a big weight to carry here but that’s for good reason. He has finished second in Grade 1s at Aintree a couple of times in the past and this is his first attempt over the National fences. Preparing for this with a run over 2m4½f at Cheltenham, he was running well until a bad mistake at the second-last scuppered his momentum. The 11-year-old is certainly a classy operator at his best but there are no guarantees that he’ll get the trip. Croke Park He missed Cheltenham with the aim of coming to Aintree fresh and well and that could pay dividends here. Croke Park is a much better chaser than he was a hurdler and you’ll want to keep a close eye on him if he makes the trip over. Already a two-time Grade 1 winner, he got the better of Stablemate and Brown Advisory third Better Days Ahead at Leopardstown over Christmas and could be a serious danger if lining up in the 3m1f Mildmay Novices’ Chase. Place De La Nation Still a maiden over hurdles, the Willie Mullins-trained filly ran a cracker to finish fifth in the Triumph Hurdle at Cheltenham and she was only beaten by four lengths. She could skip Aintree and go to Punchestown but the four-year-old is well worth considering here. You would imagine she’s capable of further progress and although Mullins is reportedly sending over a small Aintree team this year, he usually targets the Anniversary 4-Y-O Juvenile Hurdle and her last run suggests it would be unwise to rule out another big effort.
