Aintree season begins on Sunday

The new Aintree season starts on Sunday, October 24, with an exciting six-race programme - Bonusprint.com day - featuring the £70,000 Grade Two totesport Wigan Chase (2.50pm), a limited handicap over two miles and four furlongs, which has attracted 19 top chasers at today´s entry stage.

This event was formerly known as the Desert Orchid Chase and has been transferred to Aintree from Wincanton this year.

Atum Re will represent Paul Webber in the totesport Wigan Chase provided there is not too much rain this week.

The seven-year-old won two novice chases last season, including his most recent start at Bangor on soft ground in April, when staying on to justify favouritism by six lengths from Poitiers over an extended two miles and one furlong.

'It looks to me at this moment as if Atum Re is 20lb off the top and, as it is a limited handicap, he would be off 10st 4lb which is spot-on,' explained the Oxfordshire-based trainer. 'If the ground doesn´t get too wet, this race has been his aim for six to eight weeks.'

Webber reports Atum Re in good form after his summer break. 'We think that Atum Re is in good order and that he has got a bit stronger. Hopefully, stepping him up to two and a half miles will also help.

'He wasn´t at his best on the soft ground at Bangor. For a good race like this, he´d want things in his favour and we´re hoping the ground doesn´t have too much cut in it.'

Howard Johnson has entered Valley Henry, who was last seen in action when sixth to Tiutchev in the Martell Cognac Cup Chase at Aintree on the first day of April. The chaser´s best effort last season came when third, nine and three-quarter lengths adrift of Jair Du Cochet with three-time totesport Cheltenham Gold Cup hero Best Mate in second, in the Grade 2 totesport Peterborough Chase at Huntingdon 11 months ago.

The County Durham-based trainer is also hoping that bad weather steers clear of the North-West this week. He said: 'I´m not sure yet if Valley Henry runs in the totesport Wigan Chase - he wants good ground for a start.

'We´ll have to see - Valley Henry seems alright and I´m going to work him at the end of the week. I´m just a bit behind with my horses at the moment. The first target this season is to get him to win a race and then we´ll see how we go.'

Ferdy Murphy has already reported the Trevor Hemmings-owned Europa as a possible starter for the totesport Wigan Chase, while Michael Meagher, Hemmings´s racing manager, has stated that the Sue Smith-trained Better Days is also under consideration although both horses won´t run against each other.

Peter Bowen has also described Take The Stand as 'a possible' for this prestigious race, while Paul Nicholls has Kadarann - the likely top-weight, Thisthatandtother and Le Duc to select from and Philip Hobbs is doubly-represented by recent Stratford scorer Monkerhostin and Farmer Jack.

Last year´s equal of the totesport Wigan Chase was won by the Henrietta Knight-trained Edredon Bleu. The winner went on to win his four other starts last term including the Pertemps King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day, when he produced a brilliant effort to get the better of Tiutchev by a length and a quarter.

The totesport Wigan Chase is the first race of the new £300,000 Order of Merit bonus scheme which is designed to encourage runners in Grade One, Two and Three jump contests.

The main supporting contest on Sunday is the £20,000 Listed bonusprint.com Molyneux Novices´ Chase (2.15pm), over two miles, which has received a 15-strong entry including Quazar, who got off the mark over fences for Jonjo O´Neill at Perth in September, and the Peter Monteith-trained Liberty Seeker, who took two novice chases at Perth and Market Rasen in June.

Paul Nicholls has two to choose from in the form of Le Passing and My Will, while Philip Hobbs has even greater choice, having given entries to Fool On The Hill, Lacdoudal and JCB Triumph Hurdle winner Made In Japan, who was also the three-quarter length runner-up to Al Eile in the Unwins Wine Group Anniversary 4-y-o Novices´ Hurdle at Aintree in April.

This event is sponsored by George Ward´s Grunwick Group, which also generously supports four of the other five races on the card.

The opening £15,000-added Doubleprint Handicap Hurdle (1.45pm), over an extended three miles, has 17 entries, while the £10,000-added Tripleprint Handicap Chase (3.55pm), over three miles and one furlong, gained 15 entries.

The 2003 equivalent of the Doubleprint Handicap Hurdle was won by the Peter Bowen-trained Battle Warning, who bravely held off Ballybough Rasher by two lengths, while the equal of the Tripleprint Handicap Chase went to Shardante, trained by Sue Smith, who outstayed Tyndarius by three-quarters of a length.

Johnson´s Albany, a winner of two novice hurdles last season, is a possible for the former contest. 'Albany might run in the Doubleprint Handicap Hurdle - I just don´t know as I´m waiting to work them tomorrow and Thursday to see how they are,' he said.

The excellent card is completed by the £10,000-added bonusprint.com Maiden Hurdle (3.20pm), over an extended two miles, with 41 entries, and the concluding £9,000-added Bonusprint RHT 40th Anniversary Novices´ Hurdle (4.30pm), over two miles and four furlongs, which has 27 entries.

Bowen also won the final race of the day last year with Mr Ed, who was ridden clear by champion jockey Tony McCoy to beat Terre De Java by eight lengths. The Pembrokeshire-based trainer achieved a treble as he also saddled Ballycassidy to win a novices´ chase.

Ballycassidy has been entered for this year´s Doubleprint Handicap Hurdle by the Welsh trainer.

Andrew Tulloch, Aintree´s Clerk of the Course, today described the current going as, 'Good to soft, good in places.'

'The forecast is for a settled week but with rain coming in on Friday.'