STEPHEN HARRIS’ GRAND NATIONAL LADIES DAY TIPS

Ben Pauling’s strapping chaser jumped superbly when winning the ultra-competitive Plate at the Cheltenham festival last month and can defy a career high mark at Aintree on Friday. He has gone up just 6lb for that authoritative display under a positive ride from regular pilot Ben Jones but is relatively low mileage for a 10-y-o and the prevailing testing ground suits him perfectly.

The yard remains in terrific form (three well backed winners in the last fortnight), and he is sure to have been freshened up since that run by his excellent connections.

Willie Mullins unexposed hurdler disappointed in deep ground in the Albert Bartlett at the Cheltenham festival (sent off a very well backed 2/1f but beaten after halfway) but is fancied to reverse the form with a couple who were ahead of him there (previous winning form in Ireland is rock solid and showed a terrific attitude under pressure).

This flatter track should suit given how strongly he travels on the bridle, and his jumping should be getting better race to race after just three starts over hurdles so far.

Tom Lacey’s useful performer has won two of his 14 career starts over hurdles so far for his astute connections and shaped a lot better than the bare result when third in a strong Doncaster handicap last time out (too much too soon from a poor position initially).

He has already shown that Aintree in the mud suits him ideally when running a cracker in a red hot bumper here in April 2021, and the strong pace certain over this extended two miles should set things up nicely for her to swoop after the last (with the booking of the excellent claimer Cameron Iles a big positive and the yard going at 50pc in the last fortnight).