Equinties - the Aintree review

Gm Equinauts

In most aspects of life, it is important to have two sides to maintain healthy status quo. Think Yin and Yang. Think politics. Balance.

That said, there are some things that are just ‘right’ (or wrong) and do not need an opposition and the outcome to this years Grand National is one of those things. Do NOT any ‘racing’ account online have you believe otherwise.

When the vast, vast majority, including the non-racing fans who are all tuning into racing for the first and only time this year ‘because it’s the Grand National’ are calling it a better race to watch, you can be damn sure it’s a better race full stop.

The race has been a sh*t show for the last few years. Utter chaos. The people behind this newsletter are horsemen through and through, so when we think the Grand National is a tough watch, how the hell are new people looking in to racing for the first time supposed to enjoy it and become fans? No chance.

This year was a great race for everyone; punter, racing fan and non-racing fan simply watching the race with the family.

We can assure you racing would have gained new fans.

Let’s highlight a few people who have got it totally wrong. First up is this guy… but we’re not believing it’s a real tweet, it’s got to be a parody:

Next up Martin Smith. Couldn’t make it as a trainer so trying his luck at as a tv pundit… the last dinosaur on tv was Barney, we guess there’s space for a new one but we won’t be waiting for his outdated views.

Last but not least, racing X’s shouty ‘Icy’ - his views always generously affirmed by a small legion of followers mindlessly siding with the rebellious child in the playground.

20 horse weren’t in contention, they were standing. That’s good. Oh and news flash - typically the best horses win races. You’d have thought that would be welcomed by a self-proclaimed ‘full-time punter’.

The Grand National was a complete success, don’t let anyone make you think otherwise - even if they are the loudest in the room.

Let’s dive in.

HEADLINE ROUNDUP

THE AINTREE REVIEW

Well, the three days of the Aintree Grand National meeting are over, and the action on the track certainly pleased many on Racing X.

He’s totally right (in our opinion). The team behind this newsletter did several days at both Cheltenham and Aintree and we’ll happily say now, from a general racing-goer perspective, Aintree blew Cheltenham out the water. The racing was better, the fields more competitive (hence the prices more generous), the atmosphere on track more pleasant and the day out as a whole, including travel, was far, far superior.

As with the regular Monday newsletters, we are here to review the main action. We can’t do every single race, so we’ll highlight the best bits.

THURSDAYS BEST PERFORMANCE: GERRI COLOMBE

A few horses could have won this award as the opening day of the meeting saw plenty put in good displays. IL ETAIT TEMPS, SIR GINO, and even SANS BRUIT could have feasibly won this, but the nod goes to GERRI COLOMBE for what he did in the Aintree Bowl. 

For most of the race, backers of his would have been looking at the screen through their fingers - he was quite slow over his fences. But when you consider the massive effort he put in during the Cheltenham Gold Cup and the fact that even Jack Kennedy admitted he wasn’t in the greatest position, his resilience to find a gap and go for home is highly commendable.

Backing up from Cheltenham to Aintree is tough, and we see horses fail to do so every year. CONFLATED failed to fire in the 2023 Bowl after his third in the Cheltenham Gold Cup, STAGE STAR was well-beaten in the Manifesto behind BANBRIDGE last year, and even L’HOMME PRESSE failed to raise much of a gallop in the 2022 Mildmay Novices’ Chase after his Brown Advisory win. 

He’s 8yo now, so he’s just getting to his peak, and while GALOPIN DES CHAMPS is clearly better than him, he has the title for second-best staying chaser in training.

FRIDAYS BEST PERFORMANCE: MYSTICAL POWER

There were potentially fewer standout performances on the Friday of Aintree, but because of the manner in which the front two pulled away from the third, LOOKAWAY, we’ve given this award to MYSTICAL POWER. 

Although he got the third a bit wrong, the beautifully bred 5yo travelled like the best horse in the race as they turned for home and his jumping improved with every leap. For a horse who isn’t the mot accurate hurdler in the world, his agility over the third-last was quite something, and when Mark Walsh pressed the button, boy did her respond. By GALILEO, of course out of the one and only, ANNIE POWER, that doesn’t scream like a chaser in the making, but because of Willie Mullins’ strong hand in all the divisions, it looks as if he could head over the bigger obstacles next season. 

This poses an interesting point. MYSTICAL POWER is clearly a good horse as he beat FIREFOX, a horse with strong form, fairly well. As with many Grade 1-winning novice hurdlers heading into a season of novice chasing, bookmakers are quick to shorten them up for the Grade 1 novice chases at the Cheltenham Festival (yes, we’re mentioning Cheltenham 2025, but bear with us). DANCING CITY is 8/1 for the National Hunt Chase, for example. However, MYSTICAL POWER can be backed at 33/1 for the Turners and Mullins has even hinted at stepping him up in trip. That price with the form he has will be interesting to some speculative ante-post players.

SATURDAYS BEST PERFORMANCE: BRIGHTERDAYSAHEAD 

Before we discuss the special winner, we wanted to give a shout out to a special horse in his own right, KITTYS LIGHT.

Although the Grand National certainly looked a bit different this year, there’s no denying that the story of the race – and the whole week – was KITTY’S LIGHT for Christian Williams.

After what the whole Williams family has been through with Christian’s daughter, Betsy, the stable star – who was bought for a mere 5,000gns in October 2017 – had one target for this season, and that was the Grand National. After three hurdles races, one Coral Gold Cup run and one Ultima run, the eight-year-old crept in at the bottom of the weights and ran a stormer to finish fifth at 12/1. For a while, it looked as if the pride of Wales was going to do it, but he was eventually beaten by four Grade 1-level horses. When you look at it like that, it’s easy to see why KITTY’S LIGHT is a bit of a legend.

Congrats to Christian and the whole family, and it was great to see Betsy in a good way over the Aintree Grand National weekend.

Now to the winner…

This mare was the obvious option, but it’s for a good reason as BRIGHTERDAYSAHEAD was devastating in the Mersey Novices’ Hurdle. 

Gordon Elliott didn’t hide his excitement for the well-bred 5yo out of MATNIE – a wonderful broodmare – prior to Cheltenham, though the Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle didn’t go her way. Despite this, she showed her class up against the boys, and what summed up her ability was her leap over the second-last hurdle as she jumped it like a twig. It was seriously impressive.

From the family of MIGHTY POTTER, FRENCH DYNAMITE, and INDIANA JONES, she is likely to head over a fence next season, which could see her up against the aforementioned MYSTICAL POWER or even BALLYBURN if BALLYBURN were to go over a fence at two-and-a-half miles. Either way, she is very classy, and she is extremely exciting going forward. 

RIDE OF THE WEEK

Firstly, a huge mention to Paul Townend. A first Grand National win for Willie Mullins’ stable jockey Paul Townend who keeps pushing the limits in winning achievements.

Only last month he steered GALOPIN DES CHAMPS to victory in the biggest race of the whole year the Gold Cup. STATE MAN in the Champion Hurdle wasn’t exactly a mind blowing performance, but he won and never really looked like getting beaten. The treble has been secured, after 94 years.

But the Grand National is a test of horsemanship all on its own. Steering around the Liverpool circuit and coming round the final bend with a double handful…of course, when you ride for Willie you always have a chance, but you’ve got to deliver and it was no coincidence Paul Townend was the one in the winners enclosure as he has been all year. Bravo, Paul.

However the winner of this award goes to Derek O’Connor for his heroic ride on ITS ON THE LINE. For what felt like laps and laps of the famous Aintree circuit (was only one), Derek was at the pump trying to galvanise his lazy mount ITS ON THE LINE. His relentless efforts were rewarded as ITS ON THE LINE did what he does best and turned on the after burners when all else were getting tired to land the Foxhunters’ quite easily in the end.

BEST TRAINING PERFORMANCE 

Dan Skelton has really cemented the opinion that he is very good at targeting a race and/or race meeting. It certainly leaves the door slightly open to the accusation that he doesn’t quite play with a straight bat at all times however. LANGER DAN at the Cheltenham Festival was a typical example of bending the rules to suit, and in fact with him it looks like he broke them completely, but KATEIRA was a fine bit of placing - his Aintree plot job. Harry Skelton rode a lovely race having her covered up the whole way and not getting in to any trouble in running. Second behind Irish Point in a Grade 1 at the Festival last year and after some quiet placed efforts in graded company KATEIRA suddenly had her mark dropped to 136. Joint owner big man Dan Skelton couldn’t resist chucking her in to a handicap at the meeting this year and no doubt having a few bags on the mare to win. She duly pleased connections.

EYECATCHERS OF THE WEEK

This weekend’s eyecatchers mean a bit more than other weeks as these are horses we hope can compete at the top level going forward, starting with our first selection.

JANGO BAIE – FRIDAY 14.20 AINTREE

KATEIRA was the obvious Dan Skelton plot in the 2m4f handicap hurdle and she duly obliged, but the story could have been different if JANGO BAIE had a few more things on his side. 

He had an awful time through the race. Although he was level with KATEIRA at the third-last, by the time they had cleared the second-last, JANGO BAIE was nearly stopped by the unseated Jonjo O’Neill Jnr and was also nearly put through the rail by GUARD YOUR DREAMS. So, to finish within two lengths of a well-handicapped seven-year-old who has Grade 1 novice hurdle form is very, very good, and he will love a trip over fences next season. He’s certainly one to keep onside.

KANDO KID – FRIDAY 16.05 AINTREE 

On reflection, this year’s Topham looks better than last year’s. Just as a piece of collateral form, FANTASTIC LADY was second off 141 last year, though she was beaten by nearly 15 lengths off 144 this time around. Furthermore, JAMES DU BERLAIS was contesting Grade 1-level novice chases last year, and although he didn’t win (though he should have), ARIZONA CARDINAL was an improving horse coming into the race with an unknown ceiling. 

Therefore, the horse to take out of the race is probably KANDOO KID as he is a horse who is crying out for three miles, and his staying-on effort (despite losing his left-fore shoe) shows this. Trained by Paul Nicholls, he could be a horse that you see in the Coral Gold Cup next season as he is classy (he placed behind DJELO – the Turners third – in a 2m3f Grade 2 novice chase) and three miles may see the best of him.

BUDDY ONE – SATURDAY 15.05 AINTREE 

Four furlongs. That’s how far out BUDDY ONE was from the line in the Grade 1 Liverpool Hurdle when jockey Jack Gilligan asked him for an effort to go for home from the front. Yes, we haven’t ridden any winners around Aintree (or anywhere for that matter) and it’s always tough to take a poke at jockeys, but there’s a case to say that if Gilligan had the ride again, BUDDY ONE could have won the Liverpool Hurdle. 

As it happened, STRONG LEADER – and improving stayer – won the battle on the day and he did probably deserve to win, but BUDDY ONE has shown on two occasions now that he is a Grade 1 horse and he is likely to head over fences next season. 

Trainer Paul Gilligan isn’t afraid of campaigning his horses aggressively, so get ready to see this lad over a fence and – if all goes well – in the top Graded novice chases.

RISK ON

Looks very tough today with no stand out betting opportunity.

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