Grand National Festival 2022: Friday's Top Novices' Hurdle tips - El Fabiolo to turn over Jonbon
Willie Mullins at Leopardstown last weekend
Planet Sport tipsters are back as we gear up for the Grand National on Saturday. Jonathan Doidge fancies El Fabiolo to spring a surprise in the Betway Top Novices' Hurdle.
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The Betway Top Novices' Hurdle is the first Grade 1 on day two of the Aintree Grand National Festival and is run over a trip of two miles, half a furlong.
Here's a quick list of Planet Sport's picks for the Betway Top Novices' Hurdle.
El Fabiolo
Vina Ardanza
14.20 Aintree - El Fabiolo
Planet Sport tipster Jonathan Doidge is content to take on Jonbon in the Betway Top Novices' Hurdle and take a punt on Willie Mullins' El Fabiolo having plenty of improvement potential.
Running in the double green silks of Simon Munir and Isaac Souede, El Fabiolo could potentially be smart and catch Jonbon on the hop here.
Here's a snippet of why Jonathan thinks El Fabiolo could be a fabulous pick.
"Jonbon is likely to go off the favourite, Aidan Coleman rides for Nicky Henderson, was second in what everyone thought was a brilliant renewal of the Supreme last time. Now he could go here and clean up but he did have a pretty hard race that day as well."
"You take a view at Cheltenham and Aintree and whether or not who you backed at one you follow at the other. He had a hard enough race and I think I'm going to take him on with El Fabiolo who dotted up in a Tramore novice back in January against a stablemate who franked the form by winning next time."
"Willie Mullins, we know he knows the time of day, Paul Townend rides, I'm going to take a flyer here. You can bet your bottom dollar he is a better horse than he showed that day and that was pretty good too."
14.20 Aintree - Vina Ardanza
Always looking for a good value angle, Pete Farries has gone for the outsider Vina Ardanza. This five-year-old represents the powerful Gordon Elliott yard and carries top jockey Davy Russell.
Here's a few of the reasons why Pete thinks that Vina Ardanza could be a very useful type.
"It's going to be Vina Ardanza each-way for me in this one. I like the look of this Gordon Elliott runner. Was beaten only narrowly by a head in the Kingsfurze over at Naas last time around in what I thought was an incredibly impressive performance."
"It's only a mild step up in trip from that, did get the win over at Ayr on debut last April. I think this horse has plenty more to offer. That narrow loss last time around, I think puts you in a position at this price for a fantastic each-way in."
