Five stars who missed Cheltenham and could run at Aintree

The Cheltenham Festival may be over, but Aintree is firmly on the horizon and the fields across the three-day festival are now beginning to form. Here, we identify five horses who bypassed Cheltenham in favour of a trip to Aintree.

Clan Des Obeaux

Betway Bowl

Clan Des Obeaux hasn't lined up at the Cheltenham Festival since finishing eighth behind Al Boum Photo in the 2020 Gold Cup, but he has been a standing dish in the Betway Bowl at the Grand National meeting at Aintree.

He has taken his place in the 3m1f Grade 1 four times in the last five years, winning the last two renewals and finishing placed in both 2018 and 2019.

Paul Nicholls' 11-year-old hasn't been seen since finishing runner-up to dual Ryanair winner Allaho in the Punchestown Gold Cup after a tendon injury, but the trainer reported he was targeting Clan Des Obeaux at Aintree again this year.

Fakir D'Oudairies

Marsh Chase

For the second year running Fakir D'Oudairies has skipped the Cheltenham Festival in favour of heading to Aintree, where he has won the last two runnings of the Marsh Chase.

His decision this season was made much easier when he was firmly put in his place in the Ascot Chase, a race he won last year, by Shishkin, who went on to finish second in the Ryanair.

He tends to prefer softer conditions - his top six Racing Post Ratings have been achieved on good to soft ground or worse - but he is unbeaten over fences at the Merseyside venue, so he must be respected in his bid for an Aintree hat-trick.

Fakir D'Oudairies: twice a winner of the Marsh ChaseCredit: Tim Goode (Getty Images)

Champ

Liverpool Hurdle

Champ had contested a race at the Cheltenham Festival every year since 2019, finishing runner-up in the Ballymore, winning the RSA Novices' Chase (2020), pulling up in the Gold Cup (2021) and finishing fourth in the Stayers' last year.

The fact Nicky Henderson didn't take Champ to the festival could be a sign of intent as the trainer has made it very clear that his runner is best when fresh, which his form confirms.

Champ's record after a break of 100 days or more reads 2111211, including his most recent success in the Grade 2 Long Distance Hurdle, where he got the better of Paisley Park by a neck, and with most of his rivals having a tough race at the festival, he could play a big role.

Capodanno

Betway Bowl/Randox Grand National

Talked about as a potential Gold Cup horse after winning the Dooley Insurance Group Champion Novice Chase at Punchestown last April, Capodanno wasn't seen this season until placing third behind Janidil in last month's Red Mills Chase.

That was over an inadequate trip, which makes it seem as though it was a prep run for a go at Aintree, where he currently holds an entry for the Randox Grand National.

The marathon showpiece would be a bold move after just six chase starts, and it seems more likely that Capodanno will head for the Betway Bowl, which Willie Mullins won with Kemboy in 2019.

Banbridge: scratched late at the Cheltenham FestivalCredit: Alan Crowhurst

Banbridge

Manifesto Novices' Chase

Unlike the other horses mentioned, Banbridge was an intended runner in the Turners at the Cheltenham Festival before being withdrawn due to soft ground.

He was fancied in the market and will surely be a leading player, if the ground is more suitable, in the Manifesto Novices' Chase, which is run over the same trip as the Turners.

His ten-length second to El Fabiolo last time was well advertised by the winner at the festival and he will be much happier over this distance, having stayed on strongly after getting outpaced at Punchestown.

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