Randox Foxhunters' Open Hunters' Steeple Chase Tips (13/04/23)

It’s the opening day of the Grand National and the fifth race of the day, The Foxhunters’ Open Steeple Chase. Here are my best horse racing tips for this 2 mile, 5 furlong race.

Bennys King

Trainer: Dan Skelton
Jockey: John Dawson

Has more letters than numbers next to his name, but has looked very good in when winning two hunter chases at Hereford and Fakenham on Gold Cup day. He beat Magic Saint at Hereford and I think that is very strong form. He unseated in the Walrus when still going well at Haydock and then had little trouble beating a weak field at Fakenham. If he gets round he has place claims, but his jumping is a concern and he will do well to be in the front rank as he was in his previous 3 races.

Cousin Pascal

Trainer: Joe O’Shea
Jockey: Huw Edwards

Caused a massive shock when landing this at 66/1 in 2021, but was only 5th last year and he doesn’t look in the same form coming into this year’s race. He has won a couple of points, but he ran no sort of race when pulled up behind Bennys King at Hereford and then was a 41L 2nd to Espoir De Teillee at Leicester last time. Clearly he likes Aintree, but he I can’t fancy him at all this year.

Dento Des Obeaux

Trainer: Patrick Eugene Turley
Jockey: D G Lavery

Was being beaten in maiden hunter chases in 2021 before finishing 2nd a couple of times in handicaps off 104 and 95. Went missing for 569 days before return in February with 1 2nd in an Irish point. He then won a winner of two comfortably, but the 2nd has been beaten from a lowly mark over hurdles since. He then walked over before bolting up by 22L in a maiden hunter chase. As impressive as he looked at Thurles I do think that form is very weak and it turned out to be a real stamina test which is going to be very different to this.

Dieu Vivant

Trainer: Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero
Jockey: A B O’Connor

A horse who often flatters to deceive as he promises a lot more than he actually achieves. The only hunter chases he has managed to win is when he race has fallen apart and he couldn’t not win and he has finished twice again already this season. Whilst I can’t possibly have him winning this does look the type of race he could run OK in so I wouldn’t be surprised if he did outrun his odds.

Dorking Cock

Trainer: S R B Crawford
Jockey: S Connor

I suspect this test will suit him better than Cheltenham where he didn’t really make much of an impact before pulling up. Even so it does tend to suggest he struggles at this level having been well beaten at Punchestown last year. If he could run up to his two efforts at Down Royal the last two seasons when winning and then just being pipped by Vaucelet then he would have a small chance.

Famous Clermont

Trainer: Chris Barber
Jockey: Will Biddick

Turning for home at Cheltenham I thought he was going to finish 3rd at worse, but after getting a fantastic ride by Will Biddick, he just failed to see out the trip on the run-in and he slowed so much he ended up finishing 6th. Crucially though his jumping was very good and the best I have seen him jump under rules so hopefully the Grand National fences won’t be an issue although you never know if a horse will take to the fences until they try it. This shorter trip is ideal for him and I can imagine that he will settle in just behind the leaders before trying to pounce late on. If he is over his Cheltenham exertions, then I don’t see how he isn’t involved in the finish.

Fier Jaguen

Trainer: Bradley Gibbs
Jockey: Bradley Gibbs

Has been really impressive in points this season winning 3 very easily and beating some decent horses in the process. I was at Chaddesley Corbett to see him make every horse pull up except for one and I knew I had seen something special. Whilst the time on the clock wasn’t anything special that day he clocked two very fast times on his next two starts and recorded the highest speed figures for years. He has only run in one hunter chase and he was 2nd to a good horse in Gats And Co at Chepstow where he jumped out to his right. Chances are he will do it here, but I think he’s an even better horse now and his jumping is spot on otherwise. He’s going to be out in front and out of trouble and I think he’s the best horse in the race.

I K Brunel

Trainer: Alan Hill
Jockey: Izzie Marshall

Was given a fantastic ride by Izzie to beat Not That Fuisse at Taunton, but she was then unseated from him at the 10th at Cheltenham. As much as the ride was good at Taunton I did think it was a very good performance from the horse at the same time. That might be a blessing in disguise as he didn’t have a hard race at Cheltenham and this contest might be more suitable for him. Alan Hill has done well in this race before with Clondaw Westie and he has more class than that horse so he is a live outsider for me

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Its On The Line

Trainer: Emmet Mullins
Jockey: Derek O’Connor

Ran a fantastic race to finish 2nd at Cheltenham behind Premier Magic, but everything points to him needing a test of stamina and whilst he might be running on again as he did at Cheltenham, it usually pays to be handy at Aintree so I suspect he will find himself too far back.

Latenightpass

Trainer: Tom Ellis
Jockey: Gina Andrews

Was 2nd in this in 2021 after finishing 4th at Cheltenham so connections decided to skip Cheltenham last year and just focus on this race and the plan worked a treat as he beat Cat Tiger to win. He has just been kept to points again and was beaten by Shantou Flyer at Chaddesley Corbett over Christmas before winning easily at Alnwick. Last month he made slightly hard work to beat Royal Chant by a neck, but it was only a 3 runner race which wont have helped. On what he’s shown so far this season he needs to improve a fair bit, but clearly he has been trained with this race in mind and whilst I won’t be backing him he has a leading chance.

Magic Saint

Trainer: Paul Nicholls
Jockey: Olive Nicholls

Got up to a mark of 159 when a handicapper and ran OK off 143 on his first run of the season in January at Wincanton. Was then switched to hunter chases and ran well to just be beaten by Bennys King at Hereford, before winning as he liked at Wincanton. This will be tougher, but he travelled and jumped really well at Wincanton and he wouldn’t be a surprise winner.

Not That Fuisse

Trainer: Dan Skelton
Jockey: John Dawson

Has done well since going hunter chasing winning 3 times last season and then winning first time up at Wetherby. Didn’t get the greatest luck or ride when 2nd to I K Brunel at Taunton, but he may not have won anyway. This sort of trip used to be ideal, but I think he needs a bit further now and his hold up style doesn’t usually work round the Grand National course. Also the softer the ground the lesser his chance.

Time Leader

Trainer: Joe O’Shea
Jockey: Toby McCain-Mitchell

Won as he liked in two hunter chases at Leicester and Stratford and whilst they were weak races it was hard not to be impressed. Quite why his trainer decided to run him at Carlisle 6 days after the Stratford run I don’t know as he looked on paper like he would be a non-stayer especially in the ground and that is how it proved. His trainer did cause a shock with Cousin Pascal and this horse is a really good jumper. Whilst I don’t expect him to be good enough, he will certainly run a hell of a lot better than he did at Carlisle.

Winged Leader

Trainer: David Christie
Jockey: Barry O’Neill

Was very unlucky not to win the Cheltenham Festival Hunter Chase last season when just getting pipped by Billaway at the end. David Christie reported he had been slow to come to hand this season so he has been kept to points so far and he has won all 3. Couldn’t really do anymore than he has, but apart from first up where he just beat Cheltenham 9th Le Malin, he has had very little to beat. Clearly a leading candidate and he’s one of the best horses in the race, but not been a great few days for David Christie with Ferns Lock and Ultimate Optimist both defeated.

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Randox Foxhunters’ Open Hunters’ Steeple Chase Tips

Ever since I saw Fier Jaguen win at Chaddesley Corbett I thought he could win one of the big races and I am very confident that he is going to be hard to beat in this. His stablemate of course won the Cheltenham version, but I think Fier Jaguen is better than him and he can provide his connections with the Cheltenham and Aintree double. His main danger has to be Famous Clermont and it makes sense to cover him as well because for me they are the best two horses in the race. If he is over his Cheltenham effort then this race looks ideal for him and he will be involved in the finish.

Of the others Winged Leader looks easily the best of the Irish, but I’m not sure he’s as good as the two mentioned above. Latenightpass has to be respected given his record in the race and it would be no surprise to see him in the first 4 again. Magic Saint and Bennys King chances are respected as well.

At bigger prices a couple make appeal to outrun their odds. I K Brunel should be capable of running a good race and might be one to run into a place. The sneaky one though at big odds could be Time Leader. His trainer has already won this race with a 66/1 shot and Time Leader is such a good jumper of fences that I think that can take him a long way. I’m not sure he will be quite good enough to win, but you can put a line through his Carlisle run and this will be much more suitable.

Fier Jaguen to win @ 5/1 with Bet365

Famous Clermont to win @ 6/1 with Bet365

All odds are accurate at the time of writing.

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