Clan Des Obeaux heads Bowl contenders at Aintree

PA Sport Reporters
April 2, 2021 1:15 pm

Tiger Roll and Native River also in the Grade One mix.

Clan Des Obeaux and Tiger Roll are among 13 entries in the Grade One Betway Bowl on day one of Aintree’s Grand National meeting.

Dual Grand National winner Tiger Roll is set to be back at Aintree, it was confirmed on Friday morning when he was not among the declarations for Easter Monday’s BoyleSports Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse.

The 11-year-old will not be taking on the famous National fences this time, however, instead facing a field of top-class chasers over just short of three miles and a furlong of the Mildmay course.

His high-profile possible rivals, as well as Paul Nicholls’ dual King George VI Chase hero Clan Des Obeaux, include Colin Tizzard’s 2018 Gold Cup winner Native River.

Ruth Jefferson has also entered the lightly-raced Waiting Patiently – runner-up in this season’s King George and absent since finishing third in the Grade One Clarence House Chase over only an extended two miles at Ascot in January.

Clondaw Castle, much improved in handicaps and graded chases for Tom George, may also move up in trip again slightly – while Venetia Williams has both Aso and Cepage in the reckoning.

Top Notch and Mister Fisher – another who would be going up in distance – may represent Nicky Henderson, and Nicholls has a potential second string in Real Steel.

Among the remaining entries, Joseph O’Brien’s dual Cheltenham Festival runner-up Fakir d’Oudairies has a prior Grade Two engagement at Fairyhouse on Monday.

The Betway Aintree Hurdle is one of three more Grade Ones on the card.

The 13 entries include dual Champion Hurdle winner Buveur D’Air, also successful in this race in 2017 and one of two Henderson entries alongside Buzz.

Champion trainer Nicholls also has two possibles, in McFabulous and Pic D’Orhy – while Denise Foster’s Champion Hurdle faller Abacadabras, Noel Meade’s Stayers’ Hurdle fourth Beacon Edge and Henry de Bromhead’s Jason The Militant could all make the trip over from Ireland.

Olly Murphy’s Brewin’upastorm, who beat McFabulous at Fontwell last time, may try to do so again.

Christmas Hurdle winner Silver Streak and Song For Someone, Grade Two conqueror of the grey at Cheltenham in December, are two more in the mix – for Evan Williams and Tom Symonds respectively.

The meeting begins with the Sss Super Alloys Manifesto Novices’ Chase – which has attracted 14 entries.

Arkle winner Shishkin, unbeaten and highly impressive over fences so far, is the headline name but is more likely to wait two more days for his obvious Aintree target over a shorter trip.

Tizzard’s Eldorado Allen, runner-up to the Henderson star at Cheltenham and Doncaster, and his stablemate The Big Breakaway are in the reckoning.

Other possibles include Henderson’s Fusil Raffles, two for Nicholls – Hitman and Tamaroc Du Mathan – Emmet Mullins’ prolific winner The Shunter and in-form Umbrigado, for David Pipe.

The latter has a major contender too in the Doom Bar Anniversary 4-Y-O Juvenile Hurdle – his Triumph runner-up Adagio.

Nicholls’ Monmiral and Fiveandtwenty, also unbeaten for Donald McCain, figure among the nine entries too.