Racing Lee's Grand National LADIES DAY Tips

He was a Grade One winning hurdler at this meeting two years back when beating El Fabiolo. He also won a weak Grade One chase at last year’s meeting and returned to make it three course wins from three. Last season he ended with beating Captain Guinness at Sandown in the Celebration Chase; the runner-up is this year’s Champion Chase winner. He destroyed the field in the Shloer Chase on seasonal debut, then won a heavy ground Tinkle Creek, staying on powerfully up the Sandown hill.

He was just denied in the rearranges Clarence House at Cheltenham, after a near race-ending mistake, but fought on well to go down by a neck. He missed the Champion Chase, but has reportedly been working well, and comes here fresh.

If his yard is over their bad run of form, I’m hoping he can bring his A-game and take this with some ease.

With the beating of the super talented Ballyburn under his belt, let’s hope he can give another powerful display to take this. He was lame in the Lawlors Of Naas so excuses to be had but returned with a strong running third in the Supreme. There is no Slade Steel to contend with, but he does have to reverse placings with Mystical Power.

But if you watch back the Supreme, he got the worst passage and was denied a run at a vital stage coming into the home straight. He is worth a couple of lengths extra for that alone, and if he can show his true colours, I think he can outstay these.

I will chance Iroko can take another step forward on his third chase start. He steps up in trip for this and looks to be crying out for that. I was against him to last day for the experience and layoff factor, but I’m hoping his talent can see him through. Second behind Irish National hero Intense Raffles when trained in France, he was chucked into a Grade One on his first start in this country. He ran fourth in the Grade Two Adonis behind Knight Salute, who went on to win the Grade One at Aintree that season. He bolted up twice, before staying on strongly to win the Martin Pipe at the Cheltenham Festival last year.

He ended the season with a strong staying performance again, when stepped up to three mile-half a furlong at this meeting, he stayed on past the Albert Barlett winner of last season, Stay Away Fay to snatch third. An easy debut win over fences, before a break and again, another staying on in the Turners behind Grey Dawning. He was outpaced and the front trio had them to the sword a long way from home, nothing else got into the race and Iroko plugged on for fifth.

I think the step up in trip can help, and hopefully he can step forward again to take this.