Horse Power: Tommy's Oscar can win the Old Roan Chase at Aintree
TOMMY'S OSCAR can win the Jewson Fast Set Finish Old Roan Limited Handicap Chase (GBB Race) (2pm) as racing returns to the home of the Randox Grand National on Sunday afternoon. While on the Flat on Saturday afternoon DIEGO VELAZQUEZ can win the Group One Kameko Futurity Stakes (No Geldings) (2.10pm) at Doncaster if the meeting passes a precautionary inspection at 7.30am on Saturday morning.
Aintree Racecourse hosts its first meeting of the new season on Sunday for the first time since the changes to the Grand National. Although there won’t be any race over the big Grand National fences, the feature is Grade Two Old Roan, looks a cracker with Paul Nicholls’ Hitman – second in this race last year; the smart My Drogo – from the Dan Skelton stable – returning after 687 days off the track; and last season’s Grand Sefton Chase hero Al Dancer lining up over the Mildmay fences. But it is the Ann Hamilton-trained Tommy’s Oscar that makes the most appeal as the winner.
The Hamilton stable won the Old Roan Chase with a similar type in Nuts Well in 2020 and Tommy’s Oscar may provide them with another winner at Aintree. The eight-year-old Oscar gelding is still relatively unexposed over fences but has not been out of the first two in his six chase starts, winning three including a Grade Two contest at Doncaster back in January. His latest success at Kelso was impressive, scoring by six-and-a-half lengths in a Handicap Chase. He can build on that, stepping up in trip to 2m4f for the first time since his hurdling days. Tommy’s Oscar will have a fitness advantage over some of his main rivals and more improvement is likely stepped up in trip and back up in grade.
Nicholls’ INTHEWATERSIDE can make a winning debut over obstacles in the Jewson Birkenhead, Price Street Maiden Hurdle (GBB Race) (2.35pm). The five-year-old won both his bumpers last season at Exeter and Sandown – the latter was particularly impressive in February. He looks a decent prospect for hurdling and can score ahead of chiefly Jagwar from the Cheshire stable of Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerrioro.
Nicholls may double up with recent Chepstow third SONIGINO in the Jewson Handicap Hurdle (GBB Race) (3.10pm).
Dan Skelton’s PEMBROKE can go one better than on his chase debut at Uttoxeter and win the Jewson St Helens Novices’ Limited Handicap Chase (GBB Race) (3.45pm). The six-year-old won twice over hurdles but could do ever better now over the bigger obstacles. He can land a first chasing success at Aintree.
Stable-mate MYLESFROMWICKLOW may start Skelton’s day on Merseyside off with a winner as well in the opener, the Jewson Click And Collect Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle (Challenger Stayers’ Hurdle Series Qualifier) (12.50pm).
David Pipe can land the Jewson Vieux Lion Rouge Veterans’ Handicap Chase (Leg 8 Of The Veterans’ Chase Series) (1.25pm) – named in honour of his Aintree specialist Vieux Lion Rouge – with DUC DE BEAUCHENE. Vieux Lion Rouge jumped more Grand National fences than any other horse in history, winning the Becher Chase twice and running well in the big one several times. Duc De Beauchene can score over the Mildmay fences following a summer break having won the Norfolk National Handicap Chase at Fakenham back in May.
LADY JAGO – also from the Skelton stable – may also end the day on a high for the trainer with victory in the finale, the Jewson Southport, Bispham Road EBF mares’ Open NH Flat Race (Category 1 Elimination) (GBB Race) (4.20pm).
On the Flat at Doncaster on Saturday Diego Velazquez can give Aidan O’Brien a record-extending 12th victory in the Group One Futurity Stakes and add to Ballydoyle’s stranglehold on next season’s Betfred Derby at Epsom.
Last year Auguste Rodin scored before going on to win the English and Irish Derbies as well as the Irish Champion Stakes this term. O’Brien already has the Derby favourite for next year with the impressive Dewhurst Stakes hero City Of Troy. Like his stable-mate Diego Velazquez is unbeaten and has looked a potential star in the making in his two career starts so far. He easily won his maiden over seven furlongs at the Curragh in August. The son of Frankel then took the step up to Group Two company and up to a mile in his stride to land the KPMG Champion Juvenile Stakes at Leopardstownm beating stable-mate Capulet by half-a-length. There is more to come from Diego Velazquez and providing he copes with the most testing conditions he has faced, he can make it three from three and put himself down as a potential Classic contender next season.
David O’Meara’s ESQUIRE can make it two wins from three starts in the Listed William Hill Prospect Stakes (2.45pm). The gelded two-year-old son of Harry Angel has won at Hamilton and was second in a Listed event at York. He looks sure to continue that good start to his career with another Listed success.
The Tim Easterby-trained MANILA SCOUSE – who was fourth behind Vintage Clarets last weekend – can turn the tables on the Richard Fahey four-year-old on revised terms in the William Hill Farewell Flat Handica (3.20pm).
Jack Channon’s CERTAIN LAD can follow up his win at York two weeks ago with another victory in the Red Rock Partnership Recruitment Solutions Handicap (3.55pm).
The Ralph Beckett-trained PALMAR BAY can land a hat-trick of successes following two wins at Salisbury with victory in the Doncaster Groundworks And Reinforcements Nursery Handicap (1.35pm).
Others who can win on Town Moor are the Fahey-trained MAYWAKE in the Alan Wood Plumbing And Heating Handicap (4.25pm); Mark Rimell’s RED MAIDS in the Scott Dobson Memorial Handicap (Div 1) (4.58pm); and course and distance winner MUNTADAB in the finale, the Scott Dobson Memorial Handicap (Div 2) (5.28pm).
Back over the jumps Cheltenham hosts its first meeting of the season and Neil Mulholland’s LORD ACCORD can land back-to-back victories in the Epic Jumps Season At William Hill Handicap Chase (GBB Race) (2.25pm). The eight-year-old gelded son of Yeats is only a 1lb higher in the handicap than last year’s victory and although he hasn’t won since, looks primed to go in again at Prestbury Park. He warmed up for what is probably his main early-season target with a decent run in fourth at Warwick over the smaller obstacles. He can go in again ahead of Nicky Henderson’s Quick Draw and the Sam England-trained Kinondo Kwetu.
Emma Lavelle’s RED ROOKIE can win the Epic Value At William Hill Handicap Chase (GBB Race) (1.15pm). The eight-year-old was third on his most recent start at Kempton back in May and he can go a couple of places better here ahead of chiefly Gary Moore’s Haddex Des Obeaux.
Paul Nicholl’s BLUEKING D’OROUX – who was pulled up in the Triumph Hurdle at the 2022 Cheltenham Festival but won at Ascot and was a good second at Aintree’s Grand National meeting last season – can return to winning ways in the opener, the Masterson Holdings Hurdle (GBB Race) (1.50pm).
Jonjo O’Neill’s JUDICIAL LAW has been on the go for much of last season and the summer and he can build on his recent Kelso success with another in the Pertemps Network Handicap Hurdle (Pertemps Hurdle Series Qualifier) (GBB Race) (3pm).
Others who can win at Cheltenham are John McConnell’s hat-trick-seeking LISNAMULT LAD in the William Hill Best Odds Guaranteed Novices’ Hurdle (GBB Race) (3.35pm); the Gavin Cromwell-trained former smart staying hurdler FLOORING PORTER on his chase debut in the William Hill Lengthen Your Odds Novices’ Chase (GBB Race) (4.10pm); and debutant CATCH YOURSELF ON – from the all-powerful Willie Mullins stable – in the finale, the Cheltenham Open National Hunt Flat Race (Category 1 Elimination) (GBB Race) (4.45pm).
Wright Ones
DONCASTER (precautionary inspection 7.30am)
1.35pm Palmar Bay
2.10pm Diego Velazquez (NAP)
2.45pm Esquire
3.20pm Manila Scouse
3.55pm Certain Lad
4.25pm Maywake
4.58pm Red Maids
5.28pm Muntadab
CHELTENHAM
1.15pm Red Rookie
1.50pm Blueking D’oroux
2.25pm Lord Accord
3pm Judicial Law
3.35pm Lisnamult Lad
4.10pm Flooring Porter
4.45pm Catch Yourself On
KELSO
12.54pm Tara Cove
1.29pm Corach Rambler
2.04pm Horacio Apple’s
2.39pm Bollingerandkrug
3.14pm Ravenscar
3.54pm Iorangi De L’isle
4.29pm Goodoldbill
5.04pm Cosmic Outlaw
CHELMSFORD CITY
5pm Almarada Prince
5.30pm Sir Rodneyredblood
6pm Man Of Monaco
6.30pm Creme Chantilly
7pm Asdaa
7.30pm Global Wonder
8pm Last Date
8.30pm Josies Kid
AINTREE (Sunday)
12.50pm Mylesfromwicklow
1.25pm Duc De Beauchene
2pm Tommy's Oscar (NAP)
2.35pm Inthewaterside
3.10pm Sonigino
3.45pm Pembroke
4.20pm Lady Jago
