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Popular Gino Trail out to banish memories of last year and take the next step up
4.40 Aintree
Zut Media Red Rum Handicap Chase (Grade 3) (Mildmay)| 2m | 5yo+ | ITV/RUK
Can one of the three seven-year-olds record a hat-trick?
The last two winners of this contest have been aged seven – making it six in the last 18 runnings – but there are only three of that age this time around: Robinshill, Bun Doran and Vosne Romanee.
Robinshill was tailed off behind Footpad in the Arkle and trainer Nigel Twiston-Davies, who won this with Arctic Kinsman in 1996, is not alone in bemoaning the unseasonal underfoot conditions.
"He was outclassed at Cheltenham and is now back in a handicap. I'm not sure he likes the ground as soft as it is but he'll have a go," he said.
Vosne Romanee and Bun Doran missed Cheltenham, which could be a plus, but the former's trainer Richard Newland joins Twiston-Davies in his views.
Newland said: "He was balloted out of the Grand Annual, which had been the plan, so he's been ready to run for quite a while.
Tom George, who won the race four years ago with Parsnip Pete, is more upbeat about Bun Doran, reporting: "He missed the cut at Cheltenham so we had to run him in the consolation race at Kempton which was over two and a half which stretches him a bit. This will be more his scene and he was placed in it last year."
Can past winners double their score?
Along with Twiston-Davies and George, Colin Tizzard and Paul Nicholls have won the race once before.
Tizzard is hoping the lack of a hill will energise Sizing Platinum, whose one win in Britain came at Newton Abbot.
The trainer said: "He's probably a bit high in the weights and has got to improve a bit but he travelled well at Cheltenham before stopping. He has never come up the hill there but was bang there until quite late."
Is it all about the Grand Annual or last year's race?
Gino Trail brings bragging rights after his gallant second in the Grand Annual, two places ahead of Theinval with Doitforthevillage, with Sizing Platinum behind.
However, in this race last year Kerry Lee's frontrunner was only sixth behind the placed pair Theinval and Bun Doran on good ground.
Nicky Henderson, trainer of Theinval, said: "He's a regular in all these sorts of races and he will always run his race. He ran a very good race at Cheltenham and he very nearly won this last year. He's as solid as a rock."
Gino Trail has it to do on the stats with top weights and 11-year-olds not figuring much on the winner's board.
Doitforthevillage was knocked over in this race last year and Paul Henderson hasn't forgotten his misfortune.
"He was still travelling very well," said Henderson.
"He didn't have much luck in the Grand Annual either this year and worked well last week and I think he is still capable of winning off his mark."
What they say
Harry Fry, trainer of Overtown Express
The softer the better for him. He's been running well but has been paying the price in the handicap for winning so well at the start of the season. A strongly run race should suit and maybe he can sneak into a place.
David Pipe, trainer of King's Socks
He had three entries at the meeting with the other two over 2m4f. He didn’t seem to get home over 2m5f on testing ground at Cheltenham last time and reverting to the minimum trip will not inconvenience him. An easier track like Aintree should suit him well.
Tom George, trainer of Noche De Reyes and Baby King
Noche De Reyes is coming back from a break having had a wind op. He has some solid form. Baby King has won round Aintree before and flat tracks suit him more than undulating ones.
Alan O'Keeffe, assistant trainer of Theflyingportrait
This has always been the target. He ran brilliantly at Kelso before the ground went against him at Cheltenham. The better the ground the better his chances so we hope it will keep drying – good to soft would be all right.
Read exclusive previews of Aintree from 6pm tonight on racingpost.com
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