Seven horses who enjoy being on the Mersey beat

Aintree is such a contrasting course to Cheltenham and some horses take to the different Grand National fences as well as the flatter track. Here are seven with history on Merseyside, although the waters are muddied with the traditional better ground still not in evidence this year

My Tent Or Yours(Betway Aintree Hurdle, 3.25 Thursday)

With stablemate Buveur D'Air under the weather this popular 11-year-old has the chance to make it third time lucky in this Grade 1. This is his fifth visit at this meeting, having finished runner-up in the 2012 champion bumper to none other than The New One before winning the 2013 Grade 2 Top Novices' Hurdle. Two years ago he was second to Annie Power as he had been at Cheltenham and last year he was runner-up again to the champion Buveur D'Air.

The New One(Betway Aintree Hurdle, 3.25 Thursday/Ryanair Stayers' Hurdle, 4.20 Saturday)

Another old favourite and making his sixth visit back on a flatter track on which he has shown his best form. Again coming up short of his best at Cheltenham, the ten-year-old has options as he attempts to win for the third time at the meeting. The champion bumper winner of 2012 beat Rock On Ruby in the Aintree Hurdle of 2014, after finishing second to Zarkandar the year before. Two years ago he fell behind Annie Power but battled on bravely to be third to Buveur D'Air and My Tent Or Yours on his fourth start in the Aintree Hurdle.

Ultragold(Randox Health Topham Handicap Chase, 4.05 Friday)

Defending his Topham trophy from last year, this ten-year-old has been badly out of form in two runs this year but only a fool would rule him out having enjoyed the unique fences on his two previous tries. He produced his top Racing Post Ratings in both those races, following up his Topham win with an excellent second to Grand National hope Gas Line Boy in the Grand Sefton in December.

Highland Lodge (Topham, 4.05 Friday)

There will be some extra interest in this 12-year-old on his sixth Aintree visit as he races in the colours of Cheveley Park's Patricia Thompson, after being bought to run in last year's Grand National like Seeyouatmidnight has been this year. He was pulled up in the race but that is his only disappointment over the fences since joining James Moffatt and being run in cheekpieces. First time up he won the 2015 Becher Chase and was beaten a short head by Vieux Lion Rouge in his defence a year later. A third in the 3m1f Becher Chase in December showed he was no back number and he returns to his 2m5f winning trip.

Flying Angel(JLT Melling Chase, 3.25 Friday/Topham, 4.05 Friday/ Betway Handicap Chase, 3.40 Saturday)

This seven-year-old is making a third appearance at the Grand National meeting and he has not been out of the first three in all five runs at Aintree, having placed in two novice hurdles in 2015. This year will mark a step down in class for the grey as he was third to Bellshill in the Grade 1 Mersey Novice Hurdle in 2016 before winning the Grade 1 Manifesto Novice Chase last year. His stamina ran out when still a good third to Definitly Red in the 3m1f Many Clouds Chase in December and he has not run since.

On Tour(Betway Handicap Chase 3.40 Saturday)

Not obvious for inclusion but this ten-year-old has run twice at the track and recorded two of his three top Racing Post Ratings. The ten-year-old has run here twice at the opening November meeting, winning last year and finishing second to Thomas Brown the year before, both over 2m4f. These two efforts were first time out each season and his form has tailed off each time. After a fall at Kempton he last ran over hurdles in January and, despite being a point-to-point winner he struggles to stay the longer trip of Saturday's race.

Virgilio(Randox Health Grand National, 5.15 Saturday)

Blaklion and Gas Line Boy have the National-fence form unlike outsider Virgilio but the Dan Skelton-trained chaser doesn't mind a bit of Aintree air, winning two 2m4f handicap hurdles before a good third to Might Bite in last year's Grade 1 Mildmay Novices' Chase. The eight-year-old went on to win under top weight over 3m1f at the track in May and both those runs returned his best Racing Post Rating before he disappointed over 2m4f on softer ground there in November.