Aintree Grand National Festival News: Ahoy Senor aiming for sweet revenge in the Mildmay
- Tom Reed
- 8 April 2022
Ahoy Senor is one of the stars of the staying chaser ranks but finds hot opposition from Bravemansgame and L'Homme Presse and that rivalry continues in the Mildmay Novices' Chase on Friday, April 8.
Lucinda Russell believes in her stayer Ahoy Senor and is hoping he can turn the tables on his rivals in the Betway Mildmay Novices' Chase on Friday, April 8.
The seven-year-old goes into the three miles, one furlong Grade 1 on the back of finishing second to Venetia Williams' L'Homme Presse in the Brown Advisory at Cheltenham and the pair go head-to-head again at Aintree.
The duo are are part of a four-runner field which also includes Paul Nicholls' Bravemansgame and Gordon Elliott's outsider Fury Road.
Ahoy Senor has plenty of good form this season but has also finished second to both Bravemansgame and L'Homme Presse on different occasions.
Peter Scudamore, Russell's partner and assistant accepts that Ahoy Senor will need to turn it on at Aintree to turn the tables on the pair.
"The other two are great jumpers, ours is a great galloper, but it is a jumping race and we have to get our jumping together," said Scudamore.
"You have to be concerned. The better they are the more you worry about them.
"We are just beginning to get these better horses and it is more of a worry. You don't have the good horses that Paul (Nicholls) and Gordon (Elliott) have got and it is anxious times, only because you care about them."
"It is what racing is all about - the best taking on the best.
"We have probably the three best three-mile novice chasers in the country and it is fantastic for Aintree.
"I never thought the race would quite cut up like that, but we have been lucky.
"I just hope they all come back safe and sound. As long as it is safe ground, we should all be happy.
"We have to accept now and again we get beat. We are not Flat racing. National Hunt racing is a sport and while that sounds a bit blase, I am definitely nervous in the hope he comes back OK.
"He seems well after Cheltenham and all the rest of it. We'd love to see that these horses will go on and be the future, so let's hope they get there."
Bravemansgame, meanwhile is unbeaten over fences and after a five-timer for Nicholls.
"He hasn't put a foot wrong all season, is unbeaten in four starts, has plenty of speed and his jumping has been mustard from day one," Nicholls reported on his Betfair blog.
"Heavy ground put paid to our plans to take him to Cheltenham. I felt he had a big chance there but when conditions went against him it made sense to keep him for Aintree.
"It's a bonus that Bravemansgame is fresh going to Aintree, a track that should play to his strengths, while two of his opponents had hard races at Cheltenham. I like to think he has a great chance."
L'Homme Presse's connections are hoping the rain on Thursday at Aintree has sunk in and will make a decision whether the seven-year-old runs or not.
"We want to run in what will be a marvellous race," said co-owner Andy Edwards.
"However, if there is not enough juice in the ground when we get there on Friday, we won't run.
"The ground must be safe for him, but fingers crossed the rain comes."
