Bob Olinger and Impaire Et Passe dominate the market but both have questions to answer in intriguing Aintree Hurdle

Cementing champion status across the spectrum of hurdling is what the Aintree Hurdle is all about. Its intermediate trip means candidates from shorter or longer races can be found here.

Four of the past seven winners feature on Cheltenham’s Champion Hurdle roll of honour. Two of the other three were dropping down in distance having contested the Stayers’ Hurdle on their previous outing. In this season’s running, the state of the ground at Aintree should place a strong emphasis on stamina. 

If the early market is to be believed the rest are playing for third behind Bob Olinger and Impaire Et Passe. Both Irish horses were last seen in the Irish Champion Hurdle behind State Man and bypassed Cheltenham with this race in mind. The remaining runners, with the exception of 136-rated outsider Mahons Glory, competed in either the Champion Hurdle, Mares’ Hurdle or Coral Cup a month ago. 

It is common for many modern Aintree festival winners to shun Cheltenham, notwithstanding the fact all the previous ten Aintree Hurdles were landed by horses who ran at the festival. Fakir D’Oudairies and Pic D’Orhy are high-profile examples in chases in recent years. 

Strictly on this campaign's form, and on past reputation, it may be difficult for many to look beyond Bob Olinger. On the balance of his career exploits he is unreliable, but it has been a different story this season and he holds chief market rival Impaire Et Passe on Irish Champion form despite the two-mile trip looking on the sharp side. 

Deep ground raises the chances of a war of attrition at Aintree. The flashy Bob Olinger’s toughness has been questioned in the past, while Impaire Et Passe’s recent finishing efforts have underwhelmed. A replication of Impaire Et Passe’s smooth Ballymore defeat of Gaelic Warrior last March would be sufficient to land a run-of-the-mill Aintree Hurdle. The talent is there. Harnessing it is the concern. 

Those who ran at Cheltenham lack the same class. Enigmatic dual Coral Cup winner Langer Dan needs to raise his game upped to Grade 1 company for the first time and his presence looks a roll of the dice in Dan Skelton’s title-chasing bid.

Coral Cup ninth Beacon Edge falls short of the highest level. Marie’s Rock pulled up in the Mares' Hurdle and has become inconsistent. Her stablemate Luccia, the standout performer among this group at the festival, ran above herself when third in the Champion Hurdle.

It must go down as a fine effort considering the well-publicised issues surrounding the health of Nicky Henderson’s horses. However, they went slow in the Champion Hurdle and that suited a speed mare like Luccia. 

There are stamina doubts for Luccia on this ground and the hope is Nemean Lion strides on to ensure we have a true test. He has 14 lengths to find with Luccia on their meeting at Cheltenham, but he is an obvious type to benefit from this extra distance on going we know he enjoys.

Kerry Lee has flirted with running him over three miles on several occasions. Forgive his sixth-placed finish in the Champion Hurdle and you have a progressive, tough performer with more in his favour than the odds imply.
Race analysis by Robbie Wilders

RP Recommends: how to bet on the Aintree Hurdle

By Tom Park, audience editor

Eight runners makes this the perfect race for each-way punters (providing there are no non-runners) and if the very best Langer Dan turns up here he could prove a big price. It's a big if, but with Dan Skelton locked in a battle for the trainers' championship, I suspect he will have Langer Dan as well as he can get him and it's noteworthy he pitches him into Grade 1 company. bet365 are the firm to bet with whoever you're backing as their Price Promise and BOG gives them the edge.

• RP Recommends: bet365

Impaire Et Passe has a 'stiff task' – Mullins

Bob Olinger and Impaire Et Passe clash again in their quest for a Grade 1 victory this season after the pair proved no match for State Man in the Irish Champion Hurdle last time.

The Henry de Bromhead-trained Bob Olinger has enjoyed a fine revival after losing his way in the 2022-23 campaign. His season has featured a win in the Lismullen Hurdle at Navan in November and an impressive success in the Relkeel Hurdle at Cheltenham on New Year's Day.

He had Impaire Et Passe five lengths behind him when a solid runner-up in the Irish Champion Hurdle and connections resisted the temptation of running him in the Champion Hurdle last month to bring him to Merseyside fresh.

Bob Olinger is already a three-time winner at the highest level, but seeks his first Grade 1 triumph since his fortunate win in the 2022 Turners Novices' Chase, when Galopin Des Champs fell with the race at his mercy. He also bids to give De Bromhead the first Aintree Hurdle victory.

The Willie Mullins-trained Impaire Et Passe, one of last year's leading novice hurdlers and a brilliant winner of the Ballymore at Cheltenham, has not enjoyed a fruitful campaign with three defeats and is on a comeback mission.

Impaire Et Passe: has not been at the same high-class level of form this seasonCredit: Patrick McCann

After going down to Teahupoo by a length in the Hatton's Grace Hurdle at Fairyhouse on his return, he has since been put in his place in the Matheson Hurdle and at Leopardstown in February behind State Man and Bob Olinger.

Connections also shelved an outing at the Cheltenham Festival to aim him at Aintree, and the form of his defeats this campaign have subsequently been boosted with State Man striking in the Champion Hurdle, before Teahupoo landed the Stayers' Hurdle two days later.

However, Mullins, who last won this race with Annie Power back in 2016, is cautious as Impaire Et Passe bids for a first win since last year's Punchestown festival.

He said: "He has a stiff task here, considering his last couple of runs. I’m just hoping he can put up a good performance back up in trip. He was only beaten a length by Teahupoo in the Hatton’s Grace over this sort of trip, but I do fear he has his work cut out." 

What they say

Gordon Elliott, trainer of Beacon Edge
It's a big ask. He didn't run badly in the Coral Cup but this is obviously a big step up again. He's probably up against it, but he did run very well at Navan in the Boyne Hurdle back in February.

Henry de Bromhead, trainer of Bob Olinger
Bob is great and everything seems good with him. He travelled over great and seems happy in himself. We've had this race in mind for him for a while and hopefully the track, the trip and the ground should all be fine.

Dan Skelton, trainer of Langer Dan
He came out of Cheltenham very well and I’ve always wanted to have a go at a race like this with him. I have a lot of respect for the top two in the betting, Bob Olinger and Impaire Et Passe, but we're probably in the best possible form we can be going into this.

Nicky Henderson, trainer of Luccia and Marie's Rock
Luccia ran a wonderful race at Cheltenham and was one of them who did stand up and show what she was capable of doing. It was a hell of a run as she was only three and a half lengths behind the winner. We're trying her over two and a half for the first time and this looks a good opportunity. It's all a matter of whether she stays two and a half miles in very soft ground – she would much prefer better ground. The ground has brought us back to two and a half rather than go for three miles for Marie's Rock. She's very good at that and won't mind the ground.
Reporting by Matt Rennie

Read our Thursday previews

1.45 Aintree: 'There are no negatives' - Dan Skelton confident of big run from Grey Dawning in Cheltenham rematch with Ginny's Destiny 

2.20 Aintree: Sir Gino 'will have to stand up and be counted' says Nicky Henderson - can he put an end to the yard's poor run? 

2.55 Aintree: Shishkin and Gerri Colombe clash in epic Aintree Bowl - plus Emmet Mullins is seeing 'very good signs' from novice Corbetts Cross 

4.05 Aintree: 'Going back in trip is interesting' - analysis and key quotes for first look at National course in Foxhunters' Chase 

4.40 Aintree: 'We've aimed him at this all season' - distance questions offer hope to unheralded sorts in the Red Rum 

Four Grade 1s kickstart Aintree's Grand National meeting in style - and it's the moment of truth for Nicky Henderson 

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