4:05 – Pink Eyed Pedro 40/1
5:15 – Dear Sire 25/1
Pink Eyed Pedro
David Brace’s runners are often overlooked in the market and this is no exception.
Following a productive start to the season, which included an emphatic win at Chepstow and a superb third place finish in the Haldon Gold Cup off 138 (1lb higher than he runs off today), he made a very encouraging debut over the national fences.
While he finished 11th in the end, beaten a long way, he shaped with considerable promise and his jumping improved significantly through the race. He was still bang there approaching the second last before he faded in very testing conditions; he performs significantly better on a sounder surface so today’s conditions should suit.
He had a spin over hurdles last month, undoubtedly with a view to this race which should have put him spot on. As mentioned earlier, he ran back-to-back personal bests earlier in the season and it would be no surprise to see another one here.
Jack Tudor, who has ridden him to victory in the past, replaces Connor Brace in the saddle.
Dear Sire
Another competitive handicap but Dear Sire looks overpriced to me.
Back down to his last winning mark, with that win coming earlier in the season, Dear Sire has a clear preference for a sound surface which he is likely to get here, with his last run coming on unsuitability slow ground. Still, he was not given a hard time that day and it’s possible that connections were eyeing up this race, especially considering he was second in it back in 2018 off a two pound higher mark.
Derek O’Connor is always a notable jockey booking but that is especially the case in conditional/amateur jockey races, as he is simply a cut above the majority of his fellow riders. McCain/O’Connor have only paired up five times, resulting in a win and a second.
Hold up horses tend to go well on the hurdles course at Aintree so this race should suit and his price makes him an attractive each way proposition.
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