Tiger Roll and Native River among confirmed runners for Bowl at Aintree
Native River, Britain's leading chaser who fared best of the home team against the Irish onslaught in last month's Cheltenham Gold Cup, has been declared for Thursday's Grade 1 Betway Bowl at Aintree on the first day of the 2021 Randox Grand National meeting.
Native River was no match for Minella Indo in the Gold Cup, but plugged on valiantly into fourth and remains Britain's highest-rated performer over fences with an official BHA mark of 170.
He will be ridden by Jonjo O'Neill Jr following the retirement of his regular jockey Richard Johnson.
Clan Des Obeaux also lines up, along with dual Grand National winner Tiger Roll, who roared back to form when winning the festival's Cross Country Chase last month. Jack Kennedy gets the leg-up on the popular chaser.
Mister Fisher, pulled up in the Ryanair Chase, was another to be declared for a final field of nine.
"I've been dying to try him over three miles as it has looked exactly what he has wanted," trainer Nicky Henderson said.
"It is rather unfair he comes here on the back of saying pulled up in the Ryanair as he ran a really good race. Coming down the hill Allaho and Min were going flat to the boards and Fisher was on their tails, but he had been flat out for a long way. He ran really well.
"He looked like finishing third then did get tired and Nico [de Boinville] quite rightly looked after him. I think three miles on good ground around here will help tell us where we go next season."
There are four Grade 1s on Thursday's card including the Betway Aintree Hurdle, for which the final field was also confirmed on Tuesday morning.
It includes Buveur D'Air, the Champion Hurdle hero in 2017 and 2018, and Silver Streak, this season's Christmas Hurdle winner.
Triumph Hurdle fifth Tritonic was not declared for the Grade 1 Doom Bar Anniversary 4-Y-O Juvenile Hurdle, and trainer Alan King said: "He's just not pleasing me at present and we'll give him a little break with a view to coming back on the Flat. He still remains an exciting horse but there is no point running when he is not 100 per cent."
Betway Bowl runners and riders
Aso Charlie Deutsch
Clan Des Obeaux Harry Cobden
Clondaw Castle Johnny Burke
Militarian James Martin
Mister Fisher Nico de Boinville
Native River Jonjo O'Neill
Real Steel Bryony Frost
Tiger Roll Jack Kennedy
Waiting Patiently Brian Hughes
Read more:
Watering continues with aim of good to soft ground for National course
Richard Johnson: after 30 years the time has come for me to retire
O'Leary: Tiger Roll goes to Aintree and there will be no humble pie if he wins
Nicky Henderson: Buveur D'Air to miss Champion Hurdle for Aintree
Silver Streak shocks 1-5 favourite Epatante with impressive Christmas Hurdle win
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Published on 6 April 2021inNews
Last updated 18:25, 6 April 2021
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