Bowl Chase at Aintree: Timeform preview and tip 1s4w4z

Aintree’s Bowl Chase (Spillane’s Tower (178), a dual Grade 1 winner in novice company in Ireland last season who ran a career best when going down by half a length to Fact To File in the John Durkan at Punchestown on his reappearance. That made him favourite for the King George VI Chase but some mistakes in the back straight didn’t help his cause and he never got competitive in fifth. He comes here fresh and is unexposed over three miles plus.

Preference, though, is for Grey Dawning (177) who was a beaten favourite for the Manifesto on this card a year ago after winning at Cheltenham. Returning with a very good second in the Betfair Chase, Grey Dawning was another who didn’t give his running in the King George, when possibly still feeling the effects of a gruelling race in the mud at Haydock, but he was right back to his best in the Premier Chase at Kelso last month which should tee him up nicely for this bigger test. Grey Dawning jumped superbly when making all to beat leading Grand National hope Iroko at Kelso and Dan Skelton’s decision to miss Cheltenham with him this year could well reap rewards here instead.

Ahoy Senor (176x) often finds the fences getting in his way, such as when falling in the Gold Cup last time, as he did in 2023, but his record at Aintree stands up really well, having won twice at this meeting in the past and finishing runner-up in the last two renewals of this race behind Shishkin and, last year, Gerri Colombe. He’s therefore dangerous to rule out.

Paul Nicholls has won this a record six times, most recently with dual winner Clan des Obeaux in 2021 and 2022, which means Stage Star (174) needs respecting despite patchy form since winning last season’s Paddy Power Gold Cup. His last run in the Cotswold Chase at Cheltenham in January when pushing L’Homme Presse close showed he was right back to form as well as proving he has the stamina for this contest.

Course winner Djelo (173) is another who has raced mainly over shorter trips, winning the Peterborough Chase at Huntingdon in December, but his first try over three miles was a successful one in the Denman Chase at Newbury in February. However, he suffered a heavy defeat in the Ryanair Chase at Cheltenham last time when running no sort of race.

Willie Mullins is represented by both Embassy Gardens (170). Gaelic Warrior was a top novice last term when his wins included an impressive victory in the Arkle but he’s hasn’t shown the same form yet this season. While he’s trying a much longer trip over fences now, he did win at around three miles as a novice hurdler at the Punchestown Festival. Strong-travelling stablemate Embassy Gardens is more proven at this sort of trip and is another who’s had a break since the Dublin Racing Festival where he finished a creditable sixth to stablemate Galopin des Champs in the Irish Gold Cup.

The field is completed by The Real Whacker (168) who won the Charlie Hall Chase at Wetherby in November but has had his limitations exposed since in the King George and Gold Cup.

Timeform weight-adjusted ratings

178 Spillane’s Tower

177 Grey Dawning

176x Ahoy Senor

174 Stage Star

173 Djelo

170+ Gaelic Warrior

170 Embassy Gardens

168 The Real Whacker

Timeform analyst’s verdict

GREY DAWNING was straight back to his zestful best on his first start since the King George when ing a smooth success in listed company at Kelso in March and, with this on his radar for some time, Dan Skelton's charge is fancied to make a bold bid to land a second Grade 1. Irish raider Spillane's Tower has been given a break since Christmas and he heads up the dangers. Ahoy Senor, twice a runner-up in this race, and Stage Star can also feature.