Inothewayurthinkin and Derek O'Connor winning the Kim Muir© Photo Healy Racing
There were four Irish trained winners on day one at Aintree and there is plenty of interest again with 26 Irish runners declared for the seven races this afternoon.
The action gets underway with the Huyton Asphalt Franny Blennerhassett Memorial Mildway Novices’ Chase at 1.45pm and Gavin Cromwell’s Inothewayurthinkin looks set to go off favourite after landing the Kim Muir in fine style last time.
The JP McManus-owned gelding faces another Cheltenham Festival handicap winner in the shape of Chianti Classico who won the Ultima.
The TrustATrader Top Novices’ Hurdle (2.55) is another Grade 1 event and the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham looks a key piece of form with Mystical Power and Firefox renewing rivalry after filling the places last time behind Slade Steel. Dysart Enos and Golden Ace are two significant non-runners leaving just six going to post for this two-mile event with Mystical Power a shade of odds-on.
The My Pension Expert Melling Chase is the feature on the card at 3.30 and the UK runners appear to hold the upper hand here with Jonbon a general 5/4 favourite, with Pic D’orhy and Protektorat other leading contenders having scored at Grade 1 level last time. Envoi Allen a four-length runner-up to Protektorat in the Ryanair Chase at Cheltenham looks the main Irish hope in this £250,000 event with Conflated and Easy Game also taking their chance.
The Cavani Sartorial Menswear Sefton Novices’ Hurdle is the fourth Grade 1 race on the day at 4.40 and Willie Mullins’ Readin Tommy Wrong is vying for favouritism with The Jukebox Man at around 3/1.
The pair had contrasting fortunes last time in the Albert Bartlett at Cheltenham with The Jukebox Man just losing out to Stellar Story while Readin Tommy Wrong proved bitterly disappointing and was well behind when pulled up before the last.
