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Today's General News and Aintree race information follows immediately. For Grand National News, use this skip linkExotic Dancer dies as a result of a heart attack.As usual, Exotic Dancer gave everything, but found Madison du Berlais too good for him in today's Totesport Bowl, but unfortunately, the result of his efforts today brought on a fatal hart attack. Exotic Dancer will be remembered as the horse who could have won a whole range of major titles, including a Cheltenham Gold Cup, had he not been racing at the same time as the great Kauto Star. Prince Tame breaks up the boy's party.Today's Hurdle finale at Aintree nearly turned into a 'boy's event', as under the usual A P McCoy drive, Sunnyhillboy slipped up the inside of his field to storm away with the Listed contest. Although chasing hard over the run-in, all the runner up Prince Tame could achieve was to divide Sunnyhillboy from the third and fourth placed Bedlan Boy and Carrick Boy. Queally bullish about Al Eile.John Queally has confirmed Al Eile is in superb condition prior to Saturday's attempt to win his fourth Aintree Hurdle, and the trainer is adamant it will take a good horse to wrest away his Aintree title on Saturday afternoon. Tartak very impressive as Jewson winner crashes out.Chappoturgeon, who was a good winner of the Cheltenham Jewson Novices Handicap Chase, had been supported into favouritism for today's 4.55 pm at Aintree, but favourite backers never got a run as he crashed out of the two mile four furlong contest at the first fence. By the second circuit, Deep Purple, who had been setting a strong pace, made two mistakes, and seemed to have set the race up for Planet of Sound, who went on as the leading three entered the home straight for the last time, but Paddy Brennan had always been sitting comfortably on Tartak, and he gathered in the leading two at the third last. As Planet of Sound faded, Deep Purple rallied, but he was never going to catch Tom George's progressive Tartak, who must now have put himself in the frame for next year's Ryanair Chase at Cheltenham. Good News for William Jarvis.Having conducted their third medical examination at his Newmarket stables, the BHA veterinarian staff have given trainer William Jarvis a clean bill of health following the single case of the 'Strangles Virus' which had been diagnosed at his stables in March. Jarvis is naturally delighted, and can now get his string back into full training for the newly started flat racing season. Oh Crick denies Cheltenham hoodoo in Red Rum Chase.In past year's, horses who have done well at the Cheltenham Festival rarely double up with victories at Aintree, but Oh Crick joined Big Bucks and Walk On in reversing the normal form. Always close to the pace, the Alan King trained gelding ranged alongside leader Lord Jay Jay at the second last, and then had the class to go on after the final fence in today's Grade 3 Red Rum Chase. Tramantano, who had threatened to get involved at the second last, ran on at one pace for third place, with the first three clear of the remainder. Greenall delight with Trust Fund Foxhunter's win.Tom Greenall, the son of Lord Daresbury, one of the Liverpool stewards, copied his father's achievement of riding the winner in the Aintree Foxhunter's Chase. Riding Trust Fund, Greenall was always going well over the Grand National fences, and he sent his mount on at the second last, and although last year's winner Christie Beamish, under a patient ride from Clair Allan, looked dangerous as the two leaders approached the famous Aintree Elbow, it was Greenall on Trust Fund who found more in the final hundred yards. Having A Cut, under top Irish amateur J P Macnamara, also had a good race, and ran on well for third place. Madison franks Hennessy and Kempton form.In this afternoon's Totesport Bowl at Aintree, before his fall at the second last, the writing had beenon the wall from a long way out for Denman. On the final circuit, while Madison du Berlais was always going easily in the same front running role he had assumed when winning the Hennessy Gold Cup, Denman's jockey Sam Thomas was constantly working to get Denman into the race. To be fair to Thomas, he had his mount alongside Madison du Berlais as they entered the straight for the final time, but the David Pipe trained french import was obviously going the easier of the two, and this became obvious when a tired Denman crashed out of the race at the second last. Although Madison du Berlais tired after the last, he maintained the distance between himself and the running on Exotic Dancer, and thereby franked the form which had seen him defeat Denman by twenty lengths at Kempton Park earlier in the season. The only inexplicable question is how the Hennessy and Totesport Bowl winner could have run so poorly in the Cheltenham Gold Cup just three weeks ago. As for Denman, his career must now be in serious doubt. Walk On a worthy Liverpool winner.Alan King's Walk On is a tough cookie. Having had a hard race in the Cheltenham Triumph Hurdle, where he was only denied by Zaynar, he strode out a strong winner of today's Matalan Anniversary 4 Year-Old Hurdle at Aintree. Led into the home straight by Ski Sunday, he put in big jumps over the last three hurdles, but his stamina on the apparently 'tacky ground' allowed him to go away from the plucky but one-paced runner up. The Triumph Hurdle fourth Starluck had every chance in the race, but could only box on for third place, while the Paul Nicholls trained Hebridean, who was joint second favourite with Starluck, was very disappointing when asked to get into the race by Ruby Walsh. Based on this performance, Walk On could in the fullness of time evolve into a very good middle distance chaser. Big Bucks vindicates his rating. Mighty Man showed he has come right back to form, for as he led the field into the home run of today's Liverpool Hurdle, he looked the potential winner, particularly as Ruby Walsh had already started to roust odds on favourite Big Bucks. Although the Cheltenham World Hurdle winner made ground on the leader over the third and second last hurdles, Mighty Man kept on galloping, but at the last obstacle, the Henry Daly trained nine year old made a horrible mistake and Ruby Walsh must have thought he had got to the front too soon on Big Bucks. However, Big Bucks stayed on to vindicate his current rating, which is higher than former champion staying hurdler Inglis Drever, and he has now added the Liverpool Hurdle to his Cheltenham title. Mighty Man recovered from his mistake and ran on for a solid second place, and taking into consideration his near two year absence from racing as a result of a near career ending tendon injury, trainer Daly must be delighted with the excellent come-back achieved by Mighty Man in his last two races.
Morning News:Nicholls confident of Denman victory.It would seem Denman is the one to beat in today's Totesport Bowl on the first day of the Aintree Grand National Festival. Trainer Paul Nicholls admits the Mildmay course is a bit sharp for one of his big players, but he went on to say, "it is a left handed track, and this will suit Denman", and in a further comment Nicholls issued a chilling assessment for Denman's rivals in today's race, " Naturally he will need some luck in running, but he has come on since his Gold Cup run, and I expect him to win the Totesport Bowl". Her Majesty likely to have runner in Dante Stakes.Royal trainer Michael Bell is confident he will have the Queen's Four Wins in rude health for the Dante Stakes on 14 May at York, and the trainer is also confident the three year old will not be there to make up the numbers. Her Majesty has always had a keen interest in horses, but in the last couple of years, royal runners have started to show the kind of promise of her early reign, and at Racingsight, we have a sneaking suspicion Queen Elizabeth is due to have a winner of a big race during the 2009 flat season. Today's Grand National News.- Pretty much as expected, A P McCoy has decided to ride Butlers Cabin in the big race. The thirteen time champion has never won the Grand National, but he has chosen the most obvious option amongst the four J P Macmanus owned horses declared for the race. Butlers Cabin was going well in the 2008 Grand National when he parted company with A P at Becher's Brook on the final circuit, and obviously, the 'champ' thinks he can learn from that mistake, so as to feature in the final stages of this year's race. - All 40 horses declared on Monday for the Grand National have stood their ground at today's two day decleration stage. This means the Philip Hobbs trained Zebenz is currently the bottom weight on ten stone five pounds, while the well fancied first reserve Maljimar still does not have the option of a run at this stage. - With no rain forecast prior to the Grand National, officials at Aintree confirm their watering policy will almost certainly produce ground just on the easy side of good for Saturday's big race. - These national hunt jockeys are tough characters! For yesterday we reported Dennis O'Regan and Graham Lee had made early returns from injury, and this morning they are joined by Dominic Elsworth, who only a few days ago thought he might have a fractured shoulder, but who now has been passed fit to return to race riding as early as tomorrow. Perhaps more importantly to Elsworth, he will now be fit to ride good each way prospect Darkness in Saturday's Grand National. >>>>>> follow on story - Despite his efforts to be fit, trainer Charlie Egerton does not think it is sensible for Dominic Elsworth to ride Darkness in the Grand National, and he has now given the ride to Wayne Hutchinson. In another development, Graham Lee now has to have another x-ray before the racecourse doctor will permit him to ride at Aintree. - Following A P McCoy's choice of Butlers Cabin, young Irish jockey Mark Walsh has been given the ride on Reveilles for owner J P Macmanus and trainer Jonjo O'Neil.
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