Silviniaco Conti the one to beat in Aintree’s Betfred Bowl Chase, says confident Paul Nicholls
Aintree’s Grade 1 Betfred Bowl Chase is a race that revolves only around Silviniaco Conti, despite the fact that the 7-year-old suffered an awful tumble at Cheltenham last month.
A star-studded line-up of eight horses has entered the meeting, seeking a handsome prize of £84,405. The going is good for the mega race, which will be run over a distance of three miles and one furlong.
The bookies have shown total respect to Silviniaco Conti, declaring him the 11-10 hot favourite. It is not going to be an easy journey for him though.
With the likes of First Lieutenant, The Giant Bolster and Quito De La Roque in the opposition, the son of Dom Alco is facing a very stiff task. And trainer, Paul Nicholls is wary of the situation.
He admitted that it would be a hard journey for Silviniaco Conti, who actually did homework for the Cheltenham Gold Cup. However, he is very confident at the same time, and described that the gelding’s previous form makes him the one to beat in Thursday’s
big meeting.
Nicholls said: "It's always difficult to be confident at Aintree with a horse who was prepared for Cheltenham, but in his favour is that he didn't get into a hard race in the Gold Cup and there's also a long time to wait until the Betfair Chase, so it's
well worth running here.”
"He was travelling well when he fell at Cheltenham and his form earlier in the season also makes him the one to beat. We gave him an easy ten days after his fall but I'm very happy with him and we know from last year he likes the track."
First Lieutenant is considered to be the biggest threat to the 10-11 favourite. The Giant Bolster and Quito de la Roque also have a few cards to show.
Silviniaco Conti had a clear edge over these rivals earlier in the season, and would be hard to catch if regaining his momentum after the recent fall. He is indeed a sound jumper and therefore, the connections have every right to be confident about their
chances for the top rank.
Tags: