Improved Alexei primed for Aintree comeback Joe Tizzard’s Alexei heads a small but select field of six potential runners in the William Hill Molyneux Hurdle at Aintree on Saturday. The Grade Two contest formerly known as the Elite Hurdle will be run on Merseyside for the first time this weekend, having been moved from its former home of Wincanton earlier this year. Alexei enjoyed an excellent campaign last season, winning a valuable handicap at Ascot, the Greatwood Hurdle at Cheltenham and the Kingwell Hurdle at Wincanton before finishing fourth in the Champion Hurdle in March and third in the Aintree Hurdle the following month. Tizzard is looking forward to his competitive return, saying: “He definitely runs (on Saturday) and it looks a lovely starting place. “He’s in real good form, he summered really well and I’m a bit biased but I think he looks like he’s improved. I couldn’t be happier with him.” Supreme and Grade One Form Lines Threaten Alexei's Return Alexei’s possible rivals include Dan Skelton’s Mydaddypaddy, who was last seen finishing a close-up third in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, and the Gordon Elliott-trained Mange Tout, a Grade One winner in the Anniversary 4-Y-O Juvenile Hurdle at Aintree in the spring. Lucky Place (Nicky Henderson), Melon (Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero) and Morning Mayhem (Nick Scholfield) are the other contenders. The seven-race card also features the Grade Two Boodles Rising Stars Novices’ Chase, which has attracted 12 entries. Elliott could send Chanceawetmorning from Ireland following a Grade Three win at Punchestown last month, while the home team includes the Paul Nicholls-trained No Drama This End, the exciting Cristal d’Estruval from Harry Derham’s yard, Henderson’s unbeaten five-year-old Crystal Island and Skelton’s Talk To The Man, who made a winning start to his chasing career at Worcester recently.
