AINTREE

3:10 JOHN SMITH'S MELLING CHASE GRADE 1 (CLASS 1) (5yo+) 2m4f

MASTER MINDED 11-10 ~ His performance at Cheltenham when winning the Champion Chase will probably go down in folk law as one of the most impressive performances by any horse at the Cheltenham festival. To beat the previous years Champion Chase winner by 19 lengths is the stuff of legend. Little worry about the horse having a hard race considering the ease in which he won so it will be a shock is he doesn’t start a 1/4 or 1/5 favourite. He steps up in trip today and it has been suggested that the horse didn’t stay in France but if he is going to stay 2½ miles then these are the conditions he’ll do it in. Good ground on a speed track is different to what he had to overcome racing on heavy ground in France. He’s also a different horse now he’s with the master trainer Paul Nicholls and he is clearly the benchmark in the race.

MISTER MCGOLDRICK 11-10 ~ What a great horse for connections but even they must have been surprised by his demolition of the Racing Post Plate field at the Cheltenham festival. The horse’ he beat were no mugs either with Gwanko, Fundamentalist, Bible Lord, Palarshan, Boychuk and Patman Du Charmil, who are all good handicappers, beaten out of sight. His record at Aintree isn’t great but it wasn’t at Cheltenham and that didn’t stop him. He comes into the race off the back of a career best effort and with the stable in form he won’t disgrace himself.

NEWMILL 11-10 ~ Like Master Minded a winner of the Champion Chase but his victory has been devalued faster than the Zimbabwean dollar. The Irish raider is getting on now and doesn’t show the same spark as he did in his hay day and as one of 3 front runners in the race he won’t enjoy the luxury of an easy lead. Although he stays the trip he has around 33 lengths to find with Voy Por Ustedes on the Champion Chase form.

TAMARINBLEU 11-10 ~ Expected to run well in the Champion Chase but the 8yo ran an absolute stinker and he was the last horse to finish. That run was too bad to be true but it also raises serious question marks regarding the horse. The Boylesports.com Gold Cup he won hasn’t been made to look a particularly good renewal and he was afforded an easy lead at Ascot in a race where the form is questionable given Twist Magic’ dislike of the ground and subsequent flop in the Champion Chase. At Cheltenham he clearly didn’t like being taken on for the lead either but with Yes Sir and Newmill that is extremely likely again. True he will be better over 2½ miles but like Leslingtaylor yesterday it is all well and good having favourable conditions but if your not in decent form you can’t take advantage of them.

VOY POR USTEDES 11-10 ~ Never raced over further than 2 miles but didn’t give the impression he would improve for the step up in trip and in fact he has always looked a slightly short finisher over the minimum trip in this company. Like Master Minded though if he is going to get the trip it’s going to be here. However he has 19 lengths to find with that rival from the Champion Chase. His backers pre-Cheltenham had championed the horses’ record at Cheltenham so away from his favoured track its possible the gap might be even further? Voy Por Ustedes has been made to look very one paced this season and he doesn’t even look a safe bet for 2nd place. Given that he comes into the race off the back of a hard race at Cheltenham, when chasing home Master Mindeds shadow, means the horse faces a tough task under conditions that don’t look likely to suit.

YES SIR 11-10 ~ Worse 150/1 shots exist and the Peter Bowen 9yo could surprise a few people if back to the form he showed when running up a 7 timer over fences. He has been out of form this year (like the yard) but if allowed to bowl along out in front he could prove tricky to catch. Unfortunately for him it is extremely likely that he’ll be taken on fro the lead which the gelding won’t enjoy. The Aintree track suits his style and if he can put in a good round of jumping he could beat a couple home.

CONCLUSION

Shortlist includes Master Minded and Mister McGoldrick.

It’s as clear as the day is long that this race is Master Minded to lose. The trip is a slight worry on his French form but I don’t see the 2½ miles being a problem given the superiority he showed in the Champion Chase.
Mister McGoldrick though looks a massive price given his demolition job in the Racing Post Plate. He trounced a good competitive handicap at the Cheltenham festival but running against several unlikely stayers and horses that have question marks hanging over their form he is 13/2 to place. He may be 11 years old but the way he won the Racing Post Plate was visually very impressive and if reproducing that form he will give the favourite most to do. His win in the Racing Post Plate was a much better performance than that of Tamarinbleu Boylesports Gold Cup win but he hasn’t been given the credit that performance deserves.

1.5pts PLACE – MISTER MCGOLDRICK @ 7.8
0.5pt WIN – MISTER MCGOLDRICK @ 44.0

RESULT

MISTER MCGOLDRICK 5th = -2pts