Istabraq, brilliant winner of the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham 17 days ago, can follow-up under Charlie Swan at Aintree tomorrow.
The six-year-old, trained in Ireland by Aidan O'Brien, contests the £60,000 Martell Aintree Hurdle and is impossible to oppose.
Winner of 10 of his 11 starts over timber, Istabraq hammered home his supremacy at Cheltenham in no uncertain style by turning the Champion Hurdle into a procession from the second-last flight.
Never in any danger of defeat thereafter, he crossed the line 12 lengths clear of his stable-mate Theatreworld.
Istabraq has an extra half-mile to cover tomorrow, but is equally at home over this longer distance. It will be a major upset if his colours are lowered.
The Martell Red Rum Chase, named in honour of the greatest Grand National hero of post-war years, offers Lord Dorcet the chance of a long-overdue win.
Brian Storey's mount ran a blinder to finish third to One Man in the Queen Mother Champion Chase at Cheltenham last time.Runner-up in this race 12 months ago to Down The Fell, he can turn the tables on that rival tomorrow.
Mick Easterby has snapped-up to amateur rider Seamus Durack to partner Purevalue in the Chivas Regal Amateur Riders' Novices' Handicap Chase and the hint should be taken.
Purevalue has won his last two races, at Market Rasen and Hexham, in fine style. From a stable in form, he can complete a hat-trick in this stronger company.
Easterby also has good prospects in the Martell Champion Bumper with the Kevin O'Ryan-ridden Bodfari North, but this promising gelding may have to settle for place honours behind the Lady Herries-trained Dragon Lord, winner of his only race to date.
Theatreworld, runner up to Istabraq in the Champion Hurdle, avoids his stablemate at Aintree tomorrow. This smart gelding gets a golden opportunity to shine in the opening race and looks a mouth-watering prospect in the Cordon Bleu Handicap Hurdle.
Channel 4 cameras will be making a rare visit to Hamilton, where racing starts at 1.10 and ends at 3.15, ten minutes before the Grand National starts.
The Nap vote is awarded to Nifty Norman in the Clydesdale Bank Asset Finance Handicap. Jack Berry's sprinter will relish the soft ground and will have the assistance of champion jockey Kieren Fallon.
The £10,000 Clydesdale Bank Handicap takes pride of place and, with Hambleton trainer Les Eyre in such great form, my vote goes to his Totem Dancer, for whom Fallon is an interesting booking.
A fast-finishing third at Doncaster last week, Totem Dancer will appreciate tomorrow's longer distance and is fancied to have the edge over The Butterwick Kid and Ledgendry Line.
Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.
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