Confirmed runners and riders for the four Grade 1 races on the opening day of Aintree's Grand National meeting

Shishkin will aim to provide a change of fortunes for Nicky Henderson after he was one of seven declared for the Aintree Bowl Chase (2.55) on the opening day of the Grand National meeting. 

The ten-year-old was among several high-profile absentees from the Cheltenham Festival after Henderson was unhappy with the form of his team but will return to action for Thursday's feature Grade 1 chase following victory in the race last year. 

Henderson will hope his top chaser can end the season on a high after a muddling campaign which saw him refuse to race in the 1965 Chase before an unfortunate unseat in the King George over Christmas. 

Shishkin returned to winning ways on his latest start in February's Denman Chase but will face much stiffer opposition on Thursday in the form of Gold Cup runner-up Gerri Colombe, who was a dazzling winner of the Mildmay Novices' Chase at the meeting last year. 

The Gordon Elliott-trained eight-year-old had only Galopin Des Champs ahead of him at last month's Cheltenham Festival and is one of three Irish runners declared for the Bowl alongside Gentlemansgame and Corbetts Cross, who was entered in the Manifesto and Mildmay Novices' Chases but will instead take on open company for Emmet Mullins. 

Ahoy Senor, a dual winner at this meeting and runner-up behind Shishkin last year, was also declared alongside Bravemansgame and the Olly Murphy-trained Thunder Rock.

The field was whittled down from an initial 12 entries, with King George winner Hewick among the most notable absentees. The desire to avoid soft conditions on the opening day of the meeting means trainer Shark Hanlon is likely to instead declare his stable star for Saturday's Grade 1 Liverpool Hurdle.

Henderson will have to go without Constitution Hill in this year's Aintree Hurdle (3.30) but Seven Barrows will still be represented by mares Marie's Rock and Luccia, who retains the services of James Bowen following her third-placed finish in the Champion Hurdle behind State Man. 

Willie Mullins' leading hurdler will be aimed at the Punchestown Festival but the champion trainer features among the eight declarations with dual Grade 1 winner Impaire Et Passe, who finished third in the Irish Champion Hurdle behind State Man and the reopposing Bob Olinger. 

Langer Dan will make his debut in Grade 1 company for Dan Skelton in the Aintree Hurdle and is one of two Cheltenham Festival scorers to line up for the yard on Thursday alongside Turners winner Grey Dawning, who stars in the Manifesto Novices' Chase (1.45). 

Grey Dawning: Cheltenham Festival winner will take on Grade 1 company once more at AintreeCredit: Alan Crowhurst

Ginny's Destiny and Colonel Harry, second and sixth in the Turners respectively, also line up amongst five declarations, with Arkle third Il Etait Temps and Blow Your Wad completing the field.

The Anniversary 4-Y-O Juvenile Hurdle (2.20) will likely feature the shortest-priced runner of the day in Sir Gino, who was another to be pulled out of Cheltenham by Henderson when favourite for the Triumph Hurdle. 

The Grade 2 winner is already odds-on with bookmakers to get the better of five rivals including Triumph runner-up Kargese and the unbeaten Kalif Du Berlais for Paul Nicholls and Harry Cobden. 

Thursday's card concludes with the Graded Goffs Nickel Coin Mares' Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race (5.15), which will be without ante-post favourite Aurora Vega. Listed winners Baby Kate and Honky Tonk Highway now head the race's 18 declarations.
Catherine Macrae

Famous Clermont pulled out of Foxhunters' defence

Trainer Chris Barber has not declared favourite Famous Clermont for the Randox Foxhunters’ Chase (4.05), saying heavy going would "bottom the horse".

The current going of soft, heavy in places on the Grand National course is causing concern to many trainers aiming horses at the three-day Aintree meeting, and Dorset-based Barber has decided not to risk his nine-year-old. Famous Clermont was an impressive winner of last year’s Randox Foxhunters’ Chase.

He said: "To be honest I’m heartbroken at the moment. The whole team is gutted. I've planned all year to get the horse back to Aintree.

"He's in good form and very happy, but if we pulled him about on unsuitable ground we wouldn't get him back."

Famous Clermont's 2023 victory at Aintree came off the back of an easy win at Haydock and a spirited effort in Cheltenham's Hunters' Chase where he was beaten for stamina, not ability. However, his route to Aintree this season has not been as smooth, with defeat in a Larkhill point-to-point on his seasonal debut, a win against one opponent at the same course and then defeat when odds-on for a Wincanton hunter chase.

Famous Clermont: has not been declared for the Randox Foxhunters’ ChaseCredit: John Grossick

Barber said: "Will felt the ground at Wincanton didn’t suit the horse – he was fine while they hacked for two miles, but when the pressure came on he struggled to pull himself out of the ground. I felt there was a bit of improvement to come from that run, but since then he has worked on good ground at Larkhill and it was one of the best pieces of work he has ever done."

Possible targets for Famous Clermont now include Punchestown's Champion Hunters' Chase, which Biddick has won twice on Caid Du Berlais, or Stratford's Champion Hunters' Chase. The latter race would stretch Famous Clermont's stamina, but Barber feels a flat track and good ground at the end of May might prove suitable.

He added: "Another alternative would be for the owners to send the horse down the road to Anthony Honeyball to target one of the handicap chases at Punchestown. That would be hard to take, but it is an option."

Lamenting this enduring season of wet weather, Barber said: "I've never had a tougher season. It's not only the rain, but lack of frost which has meant a lot of horses have been sick. It's the same for everyone, not just one person."
Carl Evans

Manifesto Novices' Chase runners and riders

Blow Your Wad Stan Sheppard
Colonel Harry Gavin Sheehan
Ginny's Destiny Harry Cobden
Grey Dawning Harry Skelton
Il Etait Temps Paul Townend

4-Y-O Juvenile Hurdle runners and riders

Dirty Den Sean Bowen
Intellotto TBC
Kalif Du Berlais Harry Cobden
Nurburgring TBC
Sir Gino Nico De Boinville
Kargese Paul Townend 

Aintree Bowl Chase runners and riders

Ahoy Senor Derek Fox
Bravemansgame Harry Cobden
Corbetts Cross Mark Walsh
Gentlemansgame Darragh O'Keeffe
Gerri Colombe Jack Kennedy
Shishkin Nico de Boinville 
Thunder Rock Sean Bowen

Aintree Hurdle runners and riders

Beacon Edge Jack Kennedy
Bob Olinger Rachael Blackmore
Impaire Et Passe Paul Townend
Langer Dan Harry Skelton
Mahons Glory Sam Twiston-Davies
Nemean Lion Richard Patrick
Luccia James Bowen
Marie's Rock Nico de Boinville

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