Constitution Hill can bounce back in Aintree Hurdle 

The fact is that he remains unbeaten in all completed starts and in this smaller field, taking on only one serious challenger, there should be little pressure on him through much of the race. Nico de Boinville is likely to be quite positive aboard the eight-year-old, and when push comes to shove, he can find the necessary to keep Lossiemouth at bay.

The latter was a runaway winner of the Mares’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival and is respected, while Wodhooh is unbeaten over hurdles and remains with great potential in this sphere but is taking on a better class of rival than ever before.

The opening Grade One EBC Group Manifesto Novices’ Chase is a fascinating race, and the market clearly has the expectation that Arkle winner Jango Baie will be even better for the return to two and a half miles.

While most of his form is at this trip, his run at Cheltenham suggests there is a chance he could be outpaced at some point of this race, particularly on a speed track such as this. If that isn’t the case, he will play a leading role, but there are also enough doubts about the quality of the Arkle form to overlook him.

That in mind, a chance can be taken on the Harry Fry-trained Gidleigh Park. A smart sort over hurdles, he made his chasing debut in November, but he wasn’t right on the day and was pulled up.

Off from then until contesting a Grade Two at Windsor in mid-January, he led most of the way and picked up again when challenged to win readily from subsequent Cheltenham Festival winner Caldwell Potter.

Entitled to be much better for the experience, he should not be out of his depth at this level and is preferred to Impaire Et Passe and Jango Baie.

Grey Dawning will be hard to beat in the Grade One Brooklands Golden Miller Chronograph Bowl Chase. An exceptional jumper, he left behind his King George disappointment by winning a listed chase at Kelso, and that should have teed him up for the return to the top level. Sure to be ridden positively, it will take a good performance to lower his colours.

Spillane’s Tower is the most interesting of his rivals, though the ground is likely to be plenty fast enough for him. Jimmy Mangan’s horse has scope for further improvement, comes here fresh, having been off since his fifth-place finish in the King George, and ought to be right there when it matters most.

There is a huge field for the Randox Foxhunters’ Open Hunters’ Chase, but Willitgoahead should take a great deal of beating, provided his Cheltenham run has not left a mark. Third in the equivalent race at that meeting, he had joined Gordon Elliott days in advance of that run but now has had a few weeks to settle into a new routine.

There are plenty of reasons to believe the seven-year-old can continue to make progress up the ladder, and his jumping will be a real asset around this course. He holds second-favourite Lifetime Ambition on their meeting in mid-November at Tinahely and even dropping back in trip, he should be able to confirm the form. My Drogo and 2023 winner of this race Famous Clermont are the other two worth considering, but Willitgoahead makes plenty of appeal.