AINTREE FESTIVAL DAY 2 - 2026

 

We have 2 selections in this race.

 

I think JOYEUSE has a race like this in her and slowly throughout this season she has improved with each start. She finished 3rd last time out in the County Hurdle and stayed on strongly all the way to the line. I long thought she was a better horse over further distances, and how well she saw out the race in the County Hurdle, pretty much confirmed it. If you go back to 2024 she finished 2nd to Wodhooh at Cheltenham during the December meeting, over 2m 4f on good ground. How good does that form look now? She then went to the Mares Hurdle over the same trip, running well but was outclassed. Since then it has all been over 2 miles but now we are finally back up to 2m 4f; hopefully, we will hopefully see an even better JOYEUSE. She is up to 137 but I still think that is within range over this trip. E/W.

 

CAPTINA TEAGUE off a handicap mark of 136 looks very interesting if he can find his form of old. He was highly regarded a few years ago and even won the Grade 1 Challow Novice Hurdle in 2023. He then went to Cheltenham for the Albert Bartlett Novice Hurdle but did not perform well. He then went chasing and completed only one run over fences before spending 415 days off the track due to an injury.  He returned in January, overcoming hurdles when pulled up before improving at Ascot for a competitive handicap hurdle in February, finishing 6th of 15. He has not been seen since and it is clear he was trained for this race as he skipped Cheltenham. 

Harry Cobden takes the ride and he CAPTAIN TEAGUE looks overpriced. E/W.

 

 

I said after Cheltenham that I still felt MADARA had a few good pounds left in him, he won that well. He is up to 150 but he didn’t come off the bridle and I would actually place the horse into the category of Grade 2 or 3 company at best. He is better than the handicaps; put it that way. It’s hard to believe he is only 7 years old, given that he has been around for years. He has yet to reach his peak which is quite remarkable. 

He jumps for fun and these fences should not be a problem. He has to be a close contender given his easy race at Cheltenham and I am quietly confident, barring a mishap. WIN.

 

Before Cheltenham and seeing Madara win, I marked this race down for ILE ATLANTIQUE. He has been primed for a race all season and it is clearly this one. Paul Townend takes the ride which is a huge plus. Like Madara, he is a graded horse running in a handicap. He jumps very well and likes to be prominent. He also stays a bit further so you must expect him to stay on all the way to the line. If Madara does not turn up or something goes wrong, I am happy to have ILEATLANTIQUE on my side, although I still fairly confident MADARA can win this race. WIN.

 

Good Luck