13:55 Ladbrokes Kauto Star Novices' Chase (In Memory Of Nigel Clark) (Grade 1) (GBB Race)

Race preview

A terrific match on paper between BRAVEMANSGAME and Ahoy Senor, with the former taken to come out on top. The pair met in the Sefton Novices' Hurdle at Aintree where the latter was a surprise winner having only raced once prior to that over hurdles, but the former had faced a hard race at Cheltenham, when third to Bob Olinger in the Ballymore, and the switch to chasing has seen him improve, having jumped supremely well on both efforts against seasoned rivals at Newton Abbot and Haydock. Connections have talked him up as a potential King George horse next season and the return to 3m may yield further improvement. Ahoy Senor unseated his rider in the Colin Parker Memorial on his chase debut at Carlisle but he clearly wasn't fazed by that when routing the opposition in a Grade 2 at Newbury last month. His jumping, though, appeared to be more of a work in progress than the selection, but Lucinda Russell's stable star remains a top prospect and the rain that is due will aid his cause. Kiltealy Briggs won last time at Haydock and is preferred over Tea Clipper, who was bitterly disappointing at Newbury last time.