KALAHARI KING can deny Albertas Run a second double-double in the John Smith’s Melling Chase (3.10pm) on Aintree’s Ladies’ Day this afternoon.
The duo filled the first two places in the Ryanair Chase at Cheltenham and it is likely they will do the same today.
Ferdy Murphy’s 10-year-old has not won for more than a year, but rarely runs a bad race. He again gave everything to try and reel back Jonjo O’Neill’s Albertas Run at Cheltenham, but just failed by a length.
Aintree, despite an uncharacteristic fall in this race last year, is probably a track more to Kalahari King’s liking. He was an impressive winner at the John Smith’s Grand National meeting two years ago when he landed the John Smith’s Maghull Novices’ Chase by eight lengths.
It should be another exciting battle, with Kalahari King just coming out on top on this occasion.
The John Smith’s Topham Chase (3.40pm) is run over the big Aintree fences and it was probably a wise decision by connections to run FRANKIE FIGG in this rather than tomorrow’s National.
Everton manager David Moyes will be hopeful of a first Aintree winner with DESERT CRY in the John Smith’s Top Novices’ Hurdle (2pm).
Wayward Prince, fresh from his third-placed finish in the RSA Chase, can go a couple of places better in the matalan.co.uk Mildmay Novices’ Chase (2.30pm).
The seven-year-old was only beaten a length by Bostons Angel at Cheltenham and, under champion jockey Tony McCoy, should be too good for his rivals.
SOUFFLEUR bypassed the Liverpool Hurdle, having been second last year, and another clash with Big Buck’s. And it can pay off with victory in the John Smith’s smithythehorse.com Handicap Hurdle (4.50pm).
COURT IN MOTION has a decent each-way chance in the John Smith’s Sefton Novices’ Hurdle (4.15pm) and Alan King’s TANTE SISSI should go close in the John Smith’s Mares’ Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race (5.25pm)
AINTREE DAY TWO: 2pm Desert Cry, 2.30pm Wayward Prince, 3.05pm Kalahari King (NAP), 3.40pm Frankie Figg, 4.15pm Court In Motion, 4.50pm Souffleur, 5.25pm Tante Sissi.
