THE Grand National Festival which starts at Aintree today may not have the all encompassing pull for the Irish that Cheltenham does but in Marlonette the visitors look to have a filly that can score a valuable first day success.
The £35,000 Glenlivet Anniversary Novices Hurdle is, with the notable exception of Commanche Court, almost a carbon copy of the Triumph Hurdle.
In that, Marlonette finished sixth which leaves her on the book well in arrears of the David Nicholson trained pair Circus Star and L'Opera who finished second and fourth to Commanche Court. However, the book doesn't tell the whole story of that Cheltenham cavalry charge, a fact that punters can prey on today.
In the circumstances Marlonette did remarkably well to finish as near as she did in the Triumph, something her trainer Willie Mullins acknowledges.
"She was hampered by a faller at the second hurdle at Cheltenham which gave her a fright and caused her to jump the next few too big. That put her out of the race and it was only in the last half mile that she got back into it," said Mullins.
It was noticeable that Marlonette stayed on up the Cheltenham hill very well but Mullins dismissed the idea that the flat Aintree track will not be a stiff enough stamina test for Marlonette.
"It's a real galloping track, unlike the undulations at Cheltenham, and there won't be the same traffic to worry her. She has come out brilliantly from Cheltenham and I am very hopeful she'll at least finish in the first three."
The canny Mullins is not one to make such statements lightly and it is significant he feels confident enough to make them about such a competitive race.
Circus Star was the closest to Commanche Court but was the stable outsider that day behind L'Opera. Both stayed on notably well but both also looked to have hard races, a fact that has ruined Aintree chances before.
A better value danger to Marlonette may be Fasil, a dual winner on the Flat, an easy winner at Taunton last time and before that a good third to Green Green Desert and High In the Clouds at Ludlow.
However, if David Casey can secure a trouble free run for Marlonette, the Irish filly can get the better of Fasil, her old Triumph rivals and Hard News who travels from Dermot Kelly's Curragh yard.
Merry Gale tries for a repeat of his 1995 success in the Martell Cup but Jim Dreaper's charge hasn't looked quite the horse he was this season and this race should be fought out by some of the chief Cheltenham Gold Cup protagonists.
Barton Bank ran his best race for years to finish second to Mr Mulligan at Cheltenham and was clear of Challenger De Luc and the flattering One Man.
Gordon Richards's grey looked the likely winner on the turn in except to shrivel up like a burst balloon when faced with the final hill.
There will be plenty who will suppose that the flatter Aintree track and the slightly shorter distance will make One Man something to bet on, a combination of faith and hope that could make Barton Bank a value alternative.
Yes, the track is flatter and yes the race is a furlong shorter but Barton Bank had One Man cold at the last fence at Cheltenham and is now 8lbs better off. As a former King George winner himself, Barton Bank is hardly short of pace and in David Walsh he seems to have found a jockey he responds to. Logic says Barton Bank is the one to be on.
His trainer David Nicholson can also win the Sandeman Maghull Novices chase with Mulligan. The former Mouse Morris trained horse was regarded as a Cheltenham banker in the Arkle but fell at the final ditch.
He wasn't particularly going like a banker at the time but neither could one say he was beaten and he is worth another chance against the eventual Arkle second Squire Silk, who Mulligan had previously annihilated at Warwick.
The first race of the Festival over the big fences is the John Hughes Trophy. One circuit around the Grand National course is still a formidable challenge and in the combination of the sound jumping The Frog Prince and horseman supreme Jamie Osborne, punters look to have decent priced prospects.
The Frog Prince had his only run of the season at Newbury 33 days ago but has reportedly come on a lot for that and at his best he has the talent and the jumping ability to run a big race here. The trip will also be ideal.
The opening Seagram Top Novices Hurdle is likely to be run at a pace to suit Mick Fitzgerald's mount Sharpical, who hacked up at Folkestone three weeks ago and while What a Question should run a good race in the Barton and Guestier Handicap Hurdle, Big Strand is marginally preferred to add to his Coral Cup victory at Cheltenham.
