Beef tops Bowl field
Beef Or Salmon heads nine entries for the Grade Two Betfair Bowl Chase on the opening day of the John Smith’s Grand National meeting at Aintree tomorrow.
Sent off favourite for the Cheltenham Gold Cup, the 10-year-old could only finish 11th on that occasion and despite being an eight-times Grade One winner, he is still searching for his first victory in mainland Britain.
Michael Hourigan’s charge will again lock horns with L’Ami (4th), Take The Stand (5th), Monkerhostin (6th) and Royal Emperor (8th), who finished in front of him at Prestbury Park, as well as Ollie Magern (17th) who runs instead of taking his place in the National.
“Owner Roger Nicholls thought Ollie Magern would be better suited by the Betfair Bowl, which has got terrific prize money and will have a smaller field,” said trainer Nigel Twiston-Davies.
The field is completed by Cotswold Chase winner See You Sometime, Martin Pipe’s Gold Cup faller Celestial Gold and My Will from Paul Nicholls’ stable.
