2025 Topham Handicap Chase Tips
It’s never much of a surprise to find Willie Mullins-trained runners appearing at the head of the betting market when it comes to the notable races at the Grand National meeting. James Du Berlais is a nine-year-old without a win this season, although there was an encouraging fifth out of thirteen runners last time out for the Irish raider.
That was in a competitive race at the Dublin Racing Festival, with the horse having run in the 2024 Topham Chase when narrowly missing out to Arizona Cardinal. Perhaps the mistake that made four fences out cost the horse dear, although it appears likely that we’ll see the horse in the shake-up despite the hike in the weights.
As for Arizona Cardinal, the horse was sent off at 20/1 last term before delighting punters who had backed the runner. Since that victory, there hasn’t been a lot of smart form and it was a somewhat underwhelming performance at Musselburgh last time out. This came after a solid enough showing at Cheltenham in a cross-country chase in December.
Blue Lord was third last time out and the Willie Mullins-trained runner has plenty of experience on his side. That recent outing came in mid-February at Ascot, with the horse actually running well in the Ascot Chase when finishing behind Pic D’orhy and Corbetts Cross. Perhaps this is the each-way contender to perform well here at Aintree.
2024 Topham Handicap Chase Tips
In Excelsis Deo was able to serve up a solid performance in the Topham Handicap Chase, with the six-year-old finishing fifth out of twenty-one runners in the Plate Handicap Chase at the 2024 Cheltenham Festival, with the 14/1 chance not always jumping with fluency although the bookies still think that the horse is a lively contender here.
Crebilly was also in the same race and managed to finish second despite not producing a clean round of jumping. Jonjo O’Neill was only beaten by one other horse and the Plate Handicap Chase has plenty of punting clues although Sail Away could go well for trainer Dan Skelton and the eight-year-old could be a decent each-way wager.
Much depends on whether the horse can improve on a last placed finish at Ascot in February, with the runner previously a lot better when producing a fourth-placed finish out of eighteen runners at Doncaster at the end of January. Your Darling runs for trainer Ben Pauling and the horse was successful on a previous outing.
Topham Chase 2023 Tips
Al Dancer heads the betting market, with the ten-year-old having enjoyed a fine career and the experienced horse certainly has a chance to win the Topham Chase. After all, the runner previously appeared at Aintree Racecourse in the Grand Sefton Handicap Chase when the Sam Thomas-trained runner was able to win by a narrow margin.
The horse that was second on that occasion was Gesskille and it could be that this horse trained by Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero is able to go one better. After all, the runner was able to finish runner-up to Ashtown Lad in the Becher Handicap Chase, so we know that the horse is able to perform when it comes to going over the Grand National fences.
Haut En Couleurs is a younger pretender who is perhaps Willie Mullins’ best chance of success, with the six-year-old having run well in the Magners Plate Handicap Chase at the Cheltenham Festival and that was over a similar distance. However, the horse has never performed at Aintree which means there’s a question mark over the runner.
Burrows Saint is a previous Grand National entrant and the horse was able to finish fourth in the 2021 race, with Willie Mullins saddling a runner who unseated his rider in the 2022 National and the horse performed perfectly adequately at Down Royal a few weeks ago, with Ashtown Lad another one for the shortlist.
2022 Topham Handicap Chase Tips
Nicky Henderson is no strangers to winners at the Aintree Grand National meeting and Mister Coffey is likely to give him a decent spin. The seven-year-old lined up in the Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup Amateur Jockeys' Handicap Chase at the 2022 Cheltenham Festival and was sent off as the 5/1 joint-favourite. Unfortunately he was beaten by rank outsider Chambard and it was a mistake at the last that proved costly.
However, it appears that Henderson is going to give the horse a chance to go one better and we can’t get away from the fact that Mister Coffey ran well when finishing second behind L’Homme Presse in the Virgin Bet Scilly Isles Novices' Chase at Sandown in February, with the horse giving a good account of himself on Boxing Day when second at Kempton.
There are lots of lively contenders for this encounter and that includes Blackbow who is probably Willie Mullins’ best chance of landing a winner in this race. The horse didn’t make an appearance at the Cheltenham Festival, although the nine-year-old was a facile winner at Clonmel the following week after this meeting.
Perhaps Senior Citizen is a more viable contender and the horse has run well for Alan King this year, with the runner finishing third in the BetVictor Greatwood Gold Cup Handicap Chase at Newbury and that came after a second-placed finish in the Betway Grand Sefton Handicap Chase at Aintree in early November.
We’re also interested in the chances of Commodore who runs for trainer Venetia Williams and this handler has previously saddled Grand National winners at Aintree. The ten-year-old has only had one run since wind surgery and that resulted in a nice victory at Cheltenham in the Betfair Handicap Chase where the horse won by fifteen lengths.
2021 Topham Handicap Chase Betting Looks Wide Open
Many punters are looking for Topham Handicap Chase betting tips and Livelovelaugh heads the Aintree racecard betting market, with Willie Mullins training an experienced eleven-year-old who most recently finished second in the TRI Equestrian Handicap Chase at Leopardstown, with the horse having outran his betting odds at the same track a month earlier.
The best Aintree betting tip could be to back Farclas each-way considering that the horse has been regularly hitting the frame this season, with Denise Foster now training the Gigginstown horse who recently finished second to Cheltenham betting favourite The Shunter in the Paddy Power Plate Handicap Chase.
Farclas finished just behind Livelovelaugh in a Handicap Chase in February, with the horse having been sent off as favourite based on the fact that he ran so well when finishing third behind Castlebawn Times and Minella West in the Paddy Power Chase at Leopardstown over Christmas.
What Are the Best Aintree Racing Bets for This Race?
Two For Gold has regularly hit the frame during the current 2020/21 racing season and the Kim Bailey horse is trading at a best price 12/1 to win this race which seem like big betting odds considering that the runner was able to run pretty well when going up against Cloth Cap who is now the favourite to win the 2021 Grand National.
The horse previously won the Paddy Power Warwick Castle Handicap Chase, while Fan De Blues is another runner from the Willie Mullins stable and the runner fared reasonably well when finishing second behind Montagne D'argent in a recent chase race over two miles and two furlongs on heavy ground.
Modus would be our idea of a good Aintree horse racing bet when you consider the JP McManus horse has exclusively run at this racecourse this season, with Paul Nicholls keeping his charge at the Merseyside track and the horse was last seen finishing third in the William Hill Grand Sefton Handicap Chase behind Beau Bay and Sir Jack Yeats at betting odds of 15/2.
Modus previously won a handicap chase at the beginning of November, with Morning Vicar another horse that needs to be respected in the betting market, with Nicky Henderson hoping that the horse improves after recent outings. Senior Citizen and Balko Des Flos are other market movers worth keeping an eye out for.