Charbel looks a very short price to win the big two-mile novices’ chase on Aintree’s Grand National card, and I’m keen to take him on.
He fell a couple out when attempting to beat the brilliant Altior in the Arkle, and such jumping errors are reason enough to doubt the value of his 4/6 price.
It did look like he’d go close indeed, and that’d be mighty form given the exploits of horses Altior has beaten, however he didn’t get round and I’m not sure we saw the winner at his very best at the Festival.
The eventual second, Cloudy Dream, ran pretty well to place second in a Grade 1 on Thursday’s Aintree card over a four-furlong longer trip, and it did look like Charbel had him covered before he came down.
It’s solid form and Charbel could hose up, but Paul Nicholls’s POLITOLOGUE looks a nice price at 11/2 to take him on with.
Disappointing in the half-furlong longer JLT behind Yorkhill, he didn’t look to stay the trip so should be more effective over two miles and back on a flat track.
He seems to do everything else right, particularly in the jumping department, and is clearly a favourite of his trainer whose horses have become a little less fashionable for punters in these Grade 1s.
He’s got poor form at Cheltenham – the JLT fifth was his best effort from three runs – and all his best runs have been on flat tracks, whilst his only other defeat this season came to a horse that’s been subsequently injured and not seen since, meaning we can’t get a grasp on the form.
That horse is Waiting Patiently and was receiving 3lb from Politologue, so he wasn’t without excuses.
Two miles might be his trip, at which he’s totally unexposed as a chaser.
It doesn’t look the deepest of races with Forest Bihan the biggest threat, as that rival has some jumping questions to answer and was well beaten in the Arkle.
San Benedeto only ran six days ago so it’s a big ask to win a Grade 1 the following weekend, and stable jockey Sam Twiston-Davies has gone with our selection.
1pt win Politologue @11/2, 15:00 Aintree, Saturday
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