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Alex Hales’ stable star Millers Bank can get his season off to a winning start in the Jewson St Helens Old Roan Limited Handicap Chase at Aintree.
The homebred gelding has run twice in Liverpool before, finishing third in the Aintree Hurdle in 2021 and winning the Manifesto Chase at the Grand National meeting last season.
Both of those contests were at Grade One level and constitute career-best performances, with this weekend's race also a step back down to the two-mile-four-furlong trip at which he was most effective last term.
One-time classy staying hurdler If The Cap Fits can reignite his chasing career in the Jewson Widnes Vieux Lion Rouge Veterans' Handicap Chase as he makes his first start for David Pipe.
Run four times over fences during the 2020-2021 campaign, the former Harry Fry-trained 10-year-old won his first attempt and was then placed in a string of staying chases.
A switch back to the smaller obstacles followed as the horse's jumping was not always completely fluent, but Pipe has clearly felt inspired to give chasing another go.
The Stuart Edmunds-trained Gentleman At Arms has an obvious chance in the Jewson Southport, Bispham Handicap Hurdle, run over two and a half miles.
The grey was fifth on his hurdling debut in December last year and from then on was never out of the first two in five consecutive races over obstacles.
His season peaked at Aintree in the Grade One Sefton Novices' Hurdle, where he was second behind Gelino Bello over three miles.
Nigel Twiston-Davies' The Kniphand can claim a first victory over timber in the Jewson Birkenhead, Price Street Maiden Hurdle.
The four-year-old was the runner-up in two bumpers last year and then kicked off his season in a Perth novice in September, again finishing second when slightly hampered over the last.
At Ffos Las in the Feature Handicap Hurdle it is Harry Whittington's Breaking Waves who comes into the race in winning form.
The eight-year-old won a Southwell handicap event when last seen, a seven-and-a-half-length victory that alluded to the possibility of more success. The handicapper has had his say, but he is worth backing to overcome the 9lb rise.
On the same card there is Katy Price's Rock The House, who looked revitalised when a good second at Hereford earlier in the month in what was his first start for new connections. She gets the nod in the West Wales Handicap Hurdle.
At the Curragh, Beamish is the interesting one in the Comer Group International Loughbrown Stakes. Only lightly-raced he has more to offer yet and will be a very interesting horse for next year if he proves suited by two miles.
SELECTIONS:
CURRAGH: 1.25 St Kitts, 2.00 Imaginarium, 2.35 Vadiana, 3.10, Moss Tucker, 3.45 Beamish, 4.20 Shanroe, 4.55 You Owe Me Money, 5.30 Stanhope.
AINTREE: 1.50 Hurricane Harvey, 2.05 If The Cap Fits, 2.40 Millers Bank, 3.15 GENTLEMAN AT ARMS (NAP), 3.52 The Kniphand, 4.30 Kinondo Kwetu, 5.05 Isabella Bee.
FFOS LAS: 1.45 Emberscombe, 2.18 How's The Cricket, 2.55 Spring Meadow, 3.30 Breaking Waves, 4.03 Ahead Of Schedule, 4.40 Good Impression, 5.15 Rock The House.
LIMERICK: 1.15 Viceregent, 1.50 Catena Zapata, 2.25 The Friday Man, 3.00 Queens Brook, 3.35 Velvet Elvis, 4.10 Optional Mix, 4.45 Carnet De Stage, 5.20 Ellis Boyd Redding.
DOUBLE: Gentleman At Arms and Millers Bank.