Big Bucks and Imperial Commander double.

Looking like being Wishfull Thinking in the last tomorrow was going well in the Coral Cup until falling

Watch out for Phidippides one of big Williams winners after beating Quantitativeeasing its down for either Friday or Saturday JWP knows about this one, this has been its target all season.

so aintree is upon us.... had my fingers burnt in the past backing the winners at cheltenham that then go on to run stinkers here so BEWARE!! aintree is such a differant track

2.55 aintree is a very intresting race with some good horses such as sanctuaire, my voici, barizan and notus de la tour

backed barizan at chelt

going with notus de la tour here, as i did at cheltenham, at 8/1, 7lb better off with sanctuaire and i think this track will suit better plus pipe horses are in form, sanctuaire only 2/1 which i think is too short.

At the moment I'm looking at Mon Mome, becoming the first back to back winner for 36 years. Ran well at Cheltenham for a place, running on past beaten horses, and sure to offer good value again.

I also like the look of Whinstone Boy if he gets in.

Well i truly cannot wait for this meeting, seems like one of the best in recent years, especially Saturday's card.

My Thursday picks aren't concrete yet, will post changes if made.

[u2:00 - BGC Partners Liverpool Hurdle[/u
Big Bucks and Souffleur

[u2:35 - Matalan Anniversary 4-Y-O Novices´ Hurdle[/u
Me Voici and Notus de la Tour.

[u3:10 - Totesport Bowl Chase[/u
What A Friend (Really think Imperial Commander is vulnerable so soon after the Gold Cup)

[u3:45 - John Smith's Foxhunters Chase[/u
Christy Beamish and Joaaci

[u4:20 - Alder Hey Imagine Appeal Red Rum Handicap Chase[/u
Lord Jay Jay and Pret a Thou

[u4:55 - Totepool Manifesto Novices' Chase[/u
Somersby and Othermix (Othermix seems a solid e/w shout)

[u5:30 - Silver Cross Handicap Hurdle[/u
Black Jack Blues and Wishfull Thinking

Best of luck all.

Early calls:
Hello Bud 50/1 ew
Comply or Die 25/1
Silver Birch 100/1 ew
Big Fella Thanks 9/1
Mon Mome 12/1

Thoughts very much appreciated

Deep Purple is 8/1 for the Melling chase on Friday...Hello

Silly 440/1 E/W acca

Big Buck's @ 3/10
Wishfull Thinking @ 6/1
Imperial Commander @ 10/11
Sanctuaire @ 15/8 (GP)
Deep Purple @ 8/1

Deep Purple @ 8/1 E/W for the Melling chase

Flintoff @ 66-1 each way
Can't Buy Time @ 20-1 On the nose

Today

2:00 Big Buck's
2:35 Barizan
3:10 Imperial Commander
3.45 Baby Run
4:20 Stan
4:55 Hey Big Spender & Othermix
5:30 Maraafeq

Today

14:35 - Notus De La Tour - Ex-French horse for David Pipe, was arguably unlucky in running when contesting the Fred Winter Novices Handicap at the Cheltenham Festival, has a pull at the weights with the winner on that form (not enough on paper to turn the form around) but it's his previous run that I'm most interested in. Was at Plumpton specifically to see (and back) this horse make his British debut having romped home by 20 lengths in a claiming hurdle at Auteuil. He was well backed at Plumpton which is a track like Aintree that's flat and left-handed and wasn't under too much pressure to beat Ranjobaie (subsequently beaten less than a neck in a Graded Hurdle at Sandown and a winner on his next start). The Cheltenham race marked a change of tactics for the horse and hopefully with some pace in the race (Barizan) they'll try and ride the horse handier this time.

Advice: 1pt win, 1pt place @ 17/2 - Stan James

15:45 - Nedzer's Return - Gordon Elliott trained Irish contender who's looked an improved horse since contesting Hunter Chases winning two from two at Fairyhouse and Down Royal. There are winners in behind in both races -most notably Rapid Artis who fell three out in the Fairyhouse contest and went on to slam the useful pointer Outlaw Pete by 19 lengths at Cork on Monday. There will be on worries over the trip for Nedzer who's two HC wins have come at 2m 6f - just half a furlong further than todays trip.

Advice: 2pts Win, 1pt place @ 14/1 - Stan James

15:45 - Penny Doc - Useful enough in his day over in Ireland but has been tremendously successful since being switched to the Surrey yard of leading point-to-point trainer Phil York. He wasn't beaten far in a Mens Open at Detling which was won by today's rival Reach For The Top (subsequently a hard pulling third in the Cheltenham Foxhunters). He's won a 2m 5f Novices Hunter Chase at Fakenham since in style having been left clear at the last and is a very big price today.

Advice: 1pt Win, 1pt place @ 50/1 - General

17:30 - Black Jack Blues - Bumper winner in early 2009 who's come good recently in novice hurdles for his shrewd young trainer. He's won his last two novice hurdles in style with bold front running displays under Champion Jockey Tony McCoy (unavailable today due to being retained to ride JP McManus' horses) and the booking of Barry Gerraghty is a positive. (2 wins from 3 rides for the yard). The step back up to 2m 4f is a slight concern as the only time he's run over the distance he was beaten by the useful Pipe trained hurdler Chartreux but at 20/1 he looks worth a small bet.

Advice: 1pt Win, 1pt place @ 20/1 - Bet365, Victor Chandler

Good Luck all

Martin

2.00 - Bouggler (e/w)

2.35 - Sanctuaire (Nap)

3.10 - Imperial Commander

3.45 - Nedzers Return

4.20 - Lennon

4.55 - Somersby

5.30 - El Dancer (e/w)

Are my picks on day one, hoping for a better effort than Cheltenham.

Done a decent treble with Big Bucks, Sanctuaire and Somersby...Going against what I usually believe for Aintree backing horses that have run well at Cheltenham, but Big Bucks is bombproof, Sanctuaire could be absolutely anything after winning as he liked at Cheltenham and certainly not one I'd like to back against and Somersby gave a good account at Aintree last year so should again this hopefully...