There is plenty of jump racing interest at Aintree and Chepstow, however, and the Persian War at Chepstow is probably the best novice hurdle so far this season, as it is ever likely to be. Likewise, I'm not getting involved in that unless I'm ahead already, though, as Son du Berlais appears to be the message at the moment but there is more than one in there to put up against it.
Uxizandre (Aintree 3.00) is tempting at 7/2 currently and the main thing putting me off at present is that Paddy was offering 3/1 earlier and following other people's money is one of my main indicators. Mind you, Module is one I like the look of and it also looks like a race with some of those likely looking 10 and 12/1 shots in it and so I can't go there.
Richard Johnson goes to Aintree for Philip Hobbs and you would think he would have a winner. That might be Horizontal Speed but on hurdles form one might not want to oppose Timesremembered. You can see how nervous the opposition is making me. Your usual newspaper pundit writes up a number of selections as if defeat is out of the question but, then, they are industry insiders and are unlikely to tell their readers if they actually know anything. It might be an idea to combine all the horses I'm worried about in a yankee and be quids in.
But I'll take Johnson, for Hobbs, on Garde La Victoire (Aintree 2.00) so that we know our fate early and, if we do win, there will remain plenty of opportunities to give our winnings back. This is not the most flattering photo one could have as he appears to have hit the top of the hurdle but stable in form, take it up a little way out, run the finish out of the others. Home and hosed, 3/1. Pay, pay.