Knappers Hill backed against hat-trick seeking Sceau Royal in Elite Hurdle

Owner Paul Vogt has already tasted success at Wincanton with Frodon taking the Badger Beers and he may be in the winner's enclosure again as Knappers Hill is vying for favouritism in the Elite Hurdle (3.00).

Sceau Royal continues to head the market as he seeks a hat-trick in as many years and a historic fourth win this race, but having been 11-10 this morning he can now be found at a general 6-4.

The one the market has found is the Paul Nicholls-trained six-year-old, who is co-owned by Paul Barber and is now a general 13-8 (from 9-4).

A Grade 2 bumper winner, Knappers Hill arrives off the back of bringing up a hat-trick with victory in the Silver Trophy at Chepstow and has improved with each of his last three starts.

This is his first attempt at Listed level, but he is four years the younger of Sceau Royal and is still open to significant improvement.

Envoi Allen backed against odds-on Galvin

After a solid return to action at Punchestown last month, Galvin has been well backed to land a second Grade 1 in the feature Ladbrokes Champion Chase (2.32) at Down Royal, but the talented Envoi Allen has been supported in opposition.

Envoi Allen takes a big step up in trip having raced at around two miles on his last three starts including the Queen Mother Champion Chase, but having won the Ballymore Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham in 2020, you would expect this trip to be within his compass.

The eight-year-old was pulled up in the Grade 1 Dooley Insurance Group Champion Novice Chase on his only try at this sort of trip but is now a general 4-1 (from 11-2).

Whereas, the Gordon Elliott-trained Galvin won the 3m Grade 3 Irish Daily Star - Best For Racing Coverage Chase by five and a half lengths from stablemate Run Wild Fred in October, the same contest he won last year before finishing second in this race.

That was behind three-time Grade 1 scorer Frodon by three-quarters of a length and he followed that with a first top-level success in the Savills Chase at Leopardstown.

Galvin: looking to add a second Grade 1 success to his CVCredit: Caroline Norris (racingpost.com/photos)

He doesn't face any British-trained rivals this time around and is now odds-on to go one better having been supported into 4-5 (from 11-10).

There are some class acts in opposition however, and Elliott has another live chance with Irish Gold Cup winner Conflated, who was last seen finishing runner-up in the Betway Bowl at the Aintree festival in April.

Noel Meade, who has won this race twice in the last four runnings, relies on Drinmore Chase winner Beacon Edge.

Willie Mullins hasn't had a runner in this race since Boston Bob and On His Own competed in the 2014 running, but has the four-time Grade 1 winner Kemboy in the field this year, who arrives having finished second to Easy Game twice on two his starts since returning in September.

Lifetime Ambition well supported in the Sefton

It's the first chance of the season to see the Grand National fences in action at Aintree, with the Grand Sefton (2.11) usually providing a competitive betting heat and so it is proving.

There is now a three-way battle for favouritism in the market, courtesy of Irish raider Lifetime Ambition being supported for trainer Jessica Harrington and the seven-year-old is now 5-1 (from 7-1) to land another big British prize for Ireland.

A Grade 3 novice winner over fences, Lifetime Ambition is having his first start since finishing second in the Grade 1 Champion Novice Chase at Punchestown in April.

Lifetime Ambition: last seen finishing second in a Grade 1 at Punchestown in AprilCredit: Caroline Norris (racingpost.com/photos)

Returning off a break won't be an issue for the Harrington runner, having returned form figures of 4212 after breaks of more than 50 days and there is every chance he will go off favourite.

Lifetime Ambition has joined the Paul Nicholls-trained Broken Halo and Al Dancer, who will be a fitting winner for trainer Sam Thomas and owner Dai Walters, who were involved in a helicopter crash on Tuesday evening, at the head of the market.

Broken Halo has only had four starts over fences and comes into this highly unexposed for the champion trainer, while Al Dancer finds himself well handicapped after not winning last season and has a fantastic reappearance record.

Market movers

Aintree
2.11 Lifetime Ambition 5-1 (from 7-1)

Down Royal
2.32 Galvin 4-5 (from 11-10)

Non-runners

Aintree

12.26 Sporting Ace (not eaten up)
1.01 Lisnager Oscar (bruised foot)
2.11 Cooper's Cross (abscess)
3.50 Scratch Card (rash)

Wincanton

12.40 Petticoat Lucy (going), Lady Adare (going)
1.50 Slipway (going), Milanford (going)
4.05 Borderline (going), Hedera Park (bad scope), Tara Line (going)

Going updates

It's Badger Beer Chase day at Wincanton with the likes of three-time Grade 1 winner Frodon and Potterman, who has finished runner-up in the last two runnings, in action and the meeting will be run on quick ground.

The going is officially good to firm, good in places, but early spells of rain started at 6am and there is a possibility of 5mm of rainfall.

It is much softer in Ireland for Ladbrokes Champion Chase day at Down Royal, with the feature race off at 2.32, where we will see Grade 1 winner Galvin, who was just touched off by Frodon in this race last year.

Following a dry day on Friday and 5mm of rain overnight, the going is soft, soft to heavy in places on the hurdle course and yielding, yielding to soft in places on the chase course.

The National fences are back on show in the Grand Sefton at Aintree and the going is soft, good to soft in places on the Grand National Course. The remainder of the seven-race card will be held on the Mildmay course with the ground description good to soft (chase) and good to soft, soft in places (hurdle).

Saturday previews:

1.50 Wincanton: 'The handicapper has given him a chance' - can Frodon carry off another big win?

2.11 Aintree: Could the Topham prove the key to the Grand Sefton once again?

2.32 Down Royal: Ladbrokes Champion Chase: 'He has race fitness on his side' - Elliott on Galvin

3.00 Wincanton: Can Sceau Royal land a fourth Elite Hurdle and make the race his own?

3.07 Down Royal: 'He has a great chance on ratings' - Grade 1 winner Fury Road makes seasonal bow

3.13 Doncaster: Can beautifully bred Israr strike another blow for the Classic generation?

4.29 Keeneland: 'She must have every chance' - can Highfield Princess see off Golden Pal and co?

5.50 Keeneland: 'She pretty well handles anything' - favourite Nashwa has John Gosden excited

7.10 Keeneland: 'A worthy favourite' - Charlie Appleby bullish as Modern Games returns to the US

8.40: Can Appleby make it two in a row and continue European domination in the Turf?

9.40 Keeneland: Breeders' Cup Classic: can Flightline confirm himself as best since Secretariat?

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