It's day two of the Aintree Festival and we have plenty more cracking contests before we reach the big day itself.
Race one kicks off the day with one of those Handicap Hurdles which any horse could win.
I have plenty of each-way fancies in this race, and Edwardstone was staying on well at Cheltenham in the County Hurdle and this race could definitely suit him.
Wilde About Oscar is also a smart prospect and has already shown that he can win at the track when he demolished a small field back in November last year.
He's been bumped up 4lbs for a win at Uttoxeter in March in a Class Two contest, and despite this being another step up, this horse is more than capable of running his race.
The second race of the day is the Grade One Novices' Hurdle, where we have plenty of good horses involved here.
Third Time Lucki runs in the same colours as my first selection Wilde About Oscar for the Skelton's, and this horse kicked too soon in the County, and was found tiring late on, despite leading for a long way up the straight.
He finished fourth in the 2020 Champion Bumper and can make his presence here, with Dusart and Ajero also looking dangerous.
Race three moves to the Grade One Novices' Chase, Chantry House looks to be a very strong favourite here.
The horse benfitted from the fall of Envoi Allen in the Marsh Chase at Cheltenham and picked up the pieces, but is still a very talented horse despite that.
He'll take all the beating here, and Shan Blue could head the danger again if ridden more patiently, albeit it just looked as though he didn't make it up the Cheltenham hill that day and the flatter track could suit.
Race four is also Grade One chasing action, and plenty of horses are in with a chance here.
Politologue missed Cheltenham at the last minute with a slight issue and has been freshened up since so could take all the beating here.
Stablemate Master Tommytucker put his questionable jumping behind him on his last start, but that sense that he can make a race ending mistake still lies there with him, but he will go well again here if his jumping does hold up.
Dashel Drasher also missed Cheltenham to come here, and this horse just keeps improving with every race over fences and there's no reason why he can't do it again here.
Notebook represents the Irish and this horse ran no sort of race in the Champion Chase, and would need to progress massively to get involved in this contest.
Nuts Well would be a great winner for the Hamilton's who have looked after this horse brilliantly over the last season, to get him winning five of his last six starts.
He'll give his all again here but I'm going to side with Joseph O'Brien's Fakir D'oudairies who has proven to be a top class horse this season, and has shown he is more than capable of taking a prize like this.
Race five is an open handicap chase so I'll go with the form horse here in an each-way shout with Ibleo who has been consistent in every race so far this season.
The sixth race of the day is another Grade One Novices' Hurdle, where Bravemansgame looks to put behind him his dissapointing run at Cheltenham and gain some compensation here.
I think there's no reason why he doesn't win this, and the only danger I can see in this race is the Nicky Henderson trained Gallyhill who catches the eye with his price tag.
This horse cost £450,000 and if the horse settles better here then he can be a danger to all of them.
Midnight River beat him last time at Ascot but he is clearly far classier than that run and was only beaten by experience that day, so he's the each-way shout.
The final race of day two is a handicap hurdle for conditionals and amateurs, so I'll keep the selection simple again here at each-way value with The Grey Falco running some brilliant races to date so far.
As always, enjoy the racing and I'll see you in the day three preview, which of course will include the big one!
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