Topham Chase hero Arizona Cardinal on course for Aintree's Grand Sefton Chase

Randox Topham Chase hero Arizona Cardinal is on course to bid for more glory over the famous Grand National fences in this Saturday's BoyleSports Grand Sefton Chase Handicap Chase at Aintree Racecourse.

The Stuart Edmunds-trained eight-year-old, who won over course and distance at Grand National Festival in April, was among the 17 entries revealed for the £75,000 at Aintree this weekend. Arizona Cardinal is one of two course and distance scorers in the line-up with Tom Ellis' Latenightpass – who won the 2022 Randox Foxhunters' Chase – the other. Latenighpass is a best-priced 10-1 with bet365. Arizona Cardinal, who won the Topham Handicap Chase at 20-1, is a best-priced 8-1 with William Hill, Paddy Power, bet365 and BetVictor to score again over the big obstacles.

The eight-year-old disappointed on his seasonal return when pulled-up at Chepstow last month but his trainer Edmunds expects better this weekend. The Buckinghamshire-based handler said: “The plan is for Arizona Cardinal to run in the Grand Sefton on Saturday. His latest run at Chepstow was disappointing. He travelled well into the race with that class of horse whereas some of the others didn’t. We were pleased with that, but then he stopped very quickly. However, we scoped him post-race and he was dirty.

“Hopefully we’ve got that all sorted now and the plan is to go to Aintree. He really took to the fences back in April so that is one of the reasons why we are going back. My worry would be that the ground is looking like it will be faster than in April but at the same time it looks like Aintree will produce Good to Soft ground and I would be quite happy with that. “I am not sure about plans for the rest of the season yet. The Becher might come a bit soon after the Grand Sefton but we’ll get Saturday first out of the way with and go from there.”

Sponsors BoyleSports make Frero Banbou and Percussion their 13-2 joint-favourites, with the former available at the best-priced 8-1 with Ladbrokes and Betfred and the latter is 7-1 with several firms. Both horses ran well in the last season's Grand Sefton Chase with Laura Morgan's Percussion second and the Venetia Williams-trained Frero Banbou third behind winner Gesskille. Percussion also finished third in the 2022 renewal and clearly goes well over the unique Aintree obstacles. Percussion was second on his most recent start in the Summer Cup at Uttoxeter in June but Frero Banbou was pulled up on his last run in the Topham Chase at Aintree and will be making his seasonal return back on Merseyside.

Ellis' Latenightpass won the Foxhunters' Chase over the big obstacles and was 12th behind I Am Maximus in the Grand National itself in the spring. Other interesting contenders include Paul Nicholls' Outlaw Peter, who is a best-priced 10-1 with bet365; the Olly Murphy-trained Sure Touch – a 10-1 chance with William Hill; and David Pipe's bottom weight King Turgeon, who is the same price with most bookmakers. Last year's winning trainers – Malpas-based Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero – have the hat-trick-seeking eight-year-old Gaboriot as their hope for glory this time.

There are two Irish-trained entries in Grand National winner Henry De Bromhead's Shantreusse and the Phillip Rothwell-trained Galon De Vauzelle, who won at Listowel on his most recent start. They are 16-1 and 14-1 respectively to become the first ever Irish-trained winner of the Grand Sefton Chase.

The going at Aintree is currently good to soft, good in places on the Grand National course and good, good to soft in places on the Mildmay/Hurdle courses.

The seven-race card on BoyleSports Afternoon Racing day sees the action start at Aintree at 12.20pm with the opening contest, the BoyleSports Daily Money Back Meetings EBF ‘NH’ Novices’ Hurdle. The finale, the BoyleSports Lengthen The Odds ‘Junior’ Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race, is due off at 3.50pm. Gates open at 10.20am and tickets are priced from £25 for adults if booked in advance, with gate price £35. For more information and to buy tickets go online athttps://www.thejockeyclub.co.uk/aintree/events-tickets/autumn-raceday/

Entries for the BoyleSports Grand Sefton Handicap Chase 2m5f19y (Grand National Course), 2.40pm, Aintree Racecourse, Saturday, November 9 2024

No., horse, age, weight, owner, trainer

1 Authorized Art (FR) 9-12 0 Mr Nick Peacock Gary & Josh Moore
2 Eldorado Allen (FR) 10-11-11 JP Romans & Terry Warner Joe Tizzard
3 Latenightpass 11-11-8 Mrs PA Ellis Tom Ellis Miss Gina Andrews
4 Outlaw Peter (IRE) 8-11-5 The Stewart Family, Dench, Ferguson & Mason Paul Nicholls Freddie Gingell (3)
5 Sure Touch 8-11-4 Geegeez.co.uk OM & Partner Olly Murphy Sean Bowen
6 Richmond Lake (IRE) 8-11-3 Hemmings Racing Donald McCain
7 Arizona Cardinal 8-11-3 Oakman Racing Club Stuart Edmunds Ciaran Gethings
8 Harper's Brook (IRE) 8-11-0 The Megsons Dan Skelton Kielan Woods
9 Shantreusse (IRE) 8-10-11 Mr Anthony Head Henry de Bromhead Ireland
10 Persian Time 6-10-9 McNeill Family & Stone Family Nicky Henderson
11 Idalko Bihoue (FR) 6-10-7 Anne-Marie & Jamie Shepperd Nigel Twiston-Davies
12 Frero Banbou (FR) 9-10-5 Mr P Davies Venetia Williams Charlie Deutsch
13 Percussion 9-10-4 Mr ER Hanbury LJ Morgan Adam Wedge
14 Gaboriot (FR) 8-10-2 Mr GC Myddelton Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero Henry Brooke
15 Vintage Fizz 7-10-2 Fine Claret Racing & Mr TS Ingham Jedd O'Keeffe Conor O'Farrell
16 Galon de Vauzelle (FR) 8-9-12 Mr TJ Doran PJ Rothwell Ireland
17 King Turgeon (FR) 6-9-7 Somerset Racing David Pipe Jack Tudor

17 confirmations (2 Irish-trained)

Sharon McHugh, head of PR & Sponsorship at BoyleSports, said: “It’s shaping up to be a fiercely competitive renewal of the BoyleSports Grand Sefton and we’ve installed Percussion and Frero Banbou as 13-2 joint favourites. Percussion clearly loves the National fences and maybe it’ll be third time lucky for him having finished second last year and third in 2022!”

BoyleSports Grand Sefton Handicap Chase betting: 13-2 Frero Banbou, Percussion; 7-1 Latenightpass; 8-1 Arizona Cardinal, Outlaw Peter; 9-1 Sure Touch; 11-1 Eldorado Allen; 12-1 Gaboriot, King Turgeon; 16-1 Idalko Bihoue, Shantreusse; 18-1 Galon de Vauzelle; 20-1 Authorized Art, Richmond Lake; 25-1 Harper’s Brook, Persian Time, Vintage Fizz.