Tanya Stevenson
Tanya's Blog, April 8
What to do with Imperial Commander? Back or lay? It’s the start of Aintree’s three-day meeting and the Cheltenham Gold Cup winner aims to make his presence felt in the Totesport Bowl at 3.10. Yet this race is famous for introducing defeat to the best of them, it was Denman last year and many big names preceded him. In regard to this race I grant you he is the best horse but I worry Imperial Commander was focused on the Gold Cup and this is an afterthought. Add to that he is a Cheltenham specialist rather than an Aintree one. At Aintree sometimes the answer to finding the winner is obscure rather than obvious, most people will plough on to Imperial Commander regardless, whereas I will be backing What A Friend who has been trained for this specifically and a saver on Carruthers, who should adopt his front-running tactics, wouldn’t go amiss.
The other major player appearing at Aintree is Big Buck’s, his task has been made all that easier with the defection of Time For Rupert, a terrible shame as I am not going to oppose the World Hurdle winner, instead I hope he puts in a mighty display.
I have to declare an interest for the 2.35 as the better half owns a share in Notus De La Tour and my fingers are tightly crossed for both of them. He ran a mighty race in the Fred Winter conceding weight to Sanctuaire who he reopposes today. However, I fear his danger may well lay with Triumph Hurdle runner-up Barizan and soft ground lover Me Voici. It’s a race that’s very hard for me but I have told the better half I fancy Me Voici.
I love all races over the National fences and Christy Beamish should give Claire Allen a tremendous experience. Baby Run led all the way at Cheltenham and providing it hasn’t taken too much out of him he could do the same at Aintree the course suits front runners. His dangers include Blu Teen and Trust Fund.
Other selections include Watch My Back at 4.20, Othermix at 4.55 and Afsoun at 5.30.
TANYA’S POINTERS
From his last ten rides Richard Johnson has had four winners, three seconds and two thirds
8 of the last ten winners of the Foxhunters were aged ten or over
The last ten winners of the Foxhunters were in the first four in the betting
JP McManus has won five of the last 12 runnings of Aintree’s 5.30 according to the Weatherbys Betting Guide
There have been only two winning favourites of Aintree’s 5.30 since 1990
David Bass has had five winners from his last nine rides
