Mildmay Novices' Chase Tips: No Mental Gymnastics Needed To Back Handstands

Day two at Aintree kicks off in a similar fashion to day one with a Grade One novice chase, and there are contrasting formlines colliding on Merseyside. Billy Grimshaw makes one in here his NAP of the meeting and explains why below...

I am penning this preview prior to the first day at Aintree kicking off, so if Jango Baie is stuffed in the Manifesto and plenty of Cheltenham winners' elsewhere back up on Merseyside my enthusiasm will be tempered, but as things stand I make HANDSTANDS my NAP of the meeting. I seem to not be alone as he has been strong in the market since being confirmed for this race, but although his profile is attractive it is mainly the fact the two nearest rivals in the betting had tough races at Cheltenham that makes me so keen on him.

Caldwell Potter was a phenomenally impressive and well backed handicap winner at the Festival but often we in racing fall into the trap of seeing a horse win easily and assuming that exertion has taken nothing out of them. Maybe Caldwell Potter is an exception and will be in the same form here, but I cannot see it and think his front running romp will take its toll here given such a short turnaround. There is also a suspicion that the novices' handicap chase at the Festival was his Gold Cup this season and this is a bit of an afterthought, whereas Handstands has had this as his late season target from months out.

Dancing City is the next in the market behind Caldwell Potter but although he bounced back to win at Aintree after losing at Cheltenham as a novice hurdler, he at least came third at Cheltenham that year whereas in this year's Brown Advisory he jumped like a grand piano before weakening out of contention. He looks to me a horse who desperately needs soft conditions and I couldn't fancy him in here against a horse with the pace that Handstands and even a few of the bigger priced horses possess.

Handstands' battling win over Jango Baie last time out obviously received an almighty form boost with that horse winning the Arkle - and although I am not supporting him in the Manifesto due to my angle this year into this whole meeting being taking on the Cheltenham form due to the short turnaround, I massively rate him as a chasing prospect - but it is the manner of his win that makes him such a strong fancy for me. The way he knuckled down to see off a horse we now know battles all the way after his miraculous Arkle win screamed of a high class and tough animal and I can see him getting all of these in a lot of trouble with his accurate fast jumping off the front end.

I have no stamina concerns and don't think he'd have been out of place in the Brown Advisory at Cheltenham, but the flat track of Aintree looks sure to suit. I actually see 18/1 Quai De Bourbon as a bit of a danger despite his shocking round of jumping before unseating in the aforementioned Browns, with Aintree looking more likely to suit given his run style. Stellar Story finished a fine second at Cheltenham but I can't see that race working out too well given Ballyburn flopped and winner Lecky Watson looks a bit of a boat. He is another who Handstands could take into deep water with his speed early doors.

The Changing Man is in the same category of horse as both Stellar Story and Caldwell Potter in that they will be ones I keep onside next season but couldn't back here given their Cheltenham travails against a fresher, more suited and probably just plain better horse in Handstands. Any 2/1 should be gratefully snaffled up on the Pauling favourite and I will be backing him with confidence to kick off day 2.