It’s a strange thing to say about a Willie Mullins-trained horse - but this runner is overpriced in a Grade 1 at Aintree

The Grand National might not appeal as a betting medium but there are still lots of good races to get stuck into at Aintree this week.

It’s a strange thing to say about a Willie Mullins-trained horse, but Gold Dancer looks overpriced in the Mildmay Novices’ Chase on Friday.

His runner-up effort to Meetmebythesea in the Jack Richards Novices’ Handicap Chase at the festival is among the best pieces of form on offer. He raced off 11st 5lb in that race once Sean Cleary-Farrell’s 7lb claim was taken into account, the same weight as Regent’s Stroll, who was two and a quarter lengths back in third.

The pair are set to renew rivalry on Friday, yet Regent’s Stroll is currently the 7-2 ante-post favourite, while Gold Dancer can be backed at 5-1 despite being rated 8lb higher. Gold Dancer is Mullins’ only entry in the race, and the price discrepancy doesn’t make much sense to me.

The Jack Richards form is working out well as the fifth, Kiss Will, would have gone close in the Irish Grand National but for falling three out, and the sixth Slade Steel won a Grade 2 back over hurdles on the same day.

The step up to 3m is a bit of an unknown, but both his half-brothers loved long distances, with Tzar’s Dancer recording his highest Racing Post Rating over 3m6½f and Al Dancer landing the Badger Ales Handicap Chase over 3m1f on his final start.

The Maghull Novices’ Chase on Saturday is also ripe for a bet, with the official ratings again pointing to a horse at a decent price.

Mighty Bandit is being overlooked because he has progressed through handicaps, but his form is absolutely rock-solid and his opponents have significant questions to answer.

The race he won at Newbury in December has already given this column a big handicap winner in the shape of the third-placed Lookaway, and Mighty Bandit was comfortably beat him.

Mighty Bandit (left): worth a shot at Grade 1 company after rocketing up the handicapCredit: Edward Whitaker

Second in that race, Highlands Legacy, was a subsequent winner and he has an excellent chance in the Red Rum Handicap Chase on Thursday. Admittedly, that win for Mighty Bandit came off a mark of just 129, but he has won his next two starts with the minimum of fuss and arrives here with a rating of 152.

The 11-8 favourite Salvator Mundi has the same rating and is difficult to trust given his tendency to race keenly. This represents a different test to the one he faced when allowed to dominate in soft ground at Thurles last time.

Kala Conti would have solid claims if replicating her 16-length beating of the subsequent Arkle winner Kargese in December, but she was five lengths adrift of Sixmilebridge in the Scilly Isles at Sandown on her last start, and that rival hardly boosted the form when well beaten in the WillowWarm Gold Cup on Sunday.

Gordon Elliott’s horses aren’t exactly flying and Kala Conti totally lost her form this time last year too, so Mighty Bandit looks a far better bet after an ideal preparation.

In Friday’s 2m4f handicap hurdle all the talk has been about Glance At Midnight, who has his first run for Dan Skelton, but keep an eye out to see if the yard’s Bobby’s Nelson is declared for the 3m½f handicap hurdle on Saturday.

Skelton has the favourite for the race in Supremely West, but he has been put up 9lb for winning a pretty poor running of the Pertemps at the festival and Skelton doesn’t always win this race with his number one hope – as we saw when Gwennie May Boy beat West Balboa in 2024.

Like Glance At Midnight, Bobby’s Nelson is a fascinating runner on his debut for the yard. He could do some serious damage off his mark of 129 if he builds on the race he gave Baron Noir in a maiden hurdle at Uttoxeter in December.

They raced off level weights in that race and Bobby’s Nelson was only three-quarters of a length behind at the finish. Baron Noir is now rated 146 after finishing a creditable fourth in the Supreme and could become a Grade 1 winner if landing the Top Novices’ Hurdle on Friday.

Bobby’s Nelson looked to cut out quickly after travelling strongly on his last start in a novice hurdle at Newbury, but quicker ground and a pace to aim at should suit him better. He’s currently a best-priced 25-1, and it will probably be a good idea to keep him on your radar regardless of whether he runs this week.

In the same race I would also give a shout to Push The Button at 33-1. His novice chase form this season is strong, finishing second to Meetmebythesea giving him 6lb at Wetherby and filling the same spot behind Steel Ally in a Grade 2. 

He’s off the same mark as when sixth in this race last year, but has been in much better shape since joining Mark Walford, and the trainer has booked excellent 5lb claimer Rian Corcoran as well. He can outrun his odds.

Deep Cave (left): fancied to win again at AintreeCredit: Edward Whitaker (racingpost.com/photos)

The final suggestion is Deep Cave, winner of the 3m½f handicap hurdle at the meeting last year who now contests the 3m1f handicap chase on Saturday. Course form often translates well at the big festivals and he remains very well treated judged on his win in the Silver Cup at Ascot in December.

He was arguably worth more than the winning margin of a head that day given the position he came from, yet he’s now only 1lb higher. The strength of the race has been boosted, with the third-placed Johnnywho winning the Ultima and the seventh, eighth and ninth also scooping decent handicap prizes too.

Deep Cave has to bounce back from a disappointing effort at Kempton last time, but that track’s tight turns will not have played to his strengths and Christian Williams, who has a reputation for being one of the best target trainers around, will have had his eye on this for a long time. Odds of 12-1 are very enticing. 

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