Aintree 4.05

The Hunter Chase over 2 miles and 5 furlongs. This is a very "top heavy" race and a growing trend sadly for this race where professional Trainers and effectively professional jockeys (in all but name) cream off the prizes. You don't as much pick the horse in these races as the jockey's and ROAD TO ROME (Sam Waley-Cohen) and BURNING AMBITION (Derek O'Connor) are the best 2 horses in the race ridden two of the best jockeys. I will have a small win saver on ROAD TO ROME and a small e/w Banker on BURNING AMBITION to cover the point each way I will have on each of my selections.
 
Jamie Codd, probably the best of the lot in the saddle rides UCELLO CONTI, should be very competitive here, has run round these Fences a few times, most notably in a National, I don't think the drop in trip suits, the pilot is a magician and if they go off too fast and a lot fall he could plot a route to get to the front at the right time but more place material for me. WONDERFUL CHARM looks wonderful each way value, has run round here and didn't take to the Course seemingly BUT has better ground here, wiser for the experience and looks too big a price to ignore for Paul Nicholls and the more than capable Will Biddick; he is my first selection. The other one is BALNASLOW who won this race last year and placed before that, you can't ignore the face he is a Course and Distance winner and a nice price, you have to ignore a pair of poor runs this season. Whether he is "gone" or has been primed for this, we'll know at 4.15ish - I fancy him to run in to an enhanced place.