The opening day of Aintree’s Grand National Festival is filled with mayhem and drama. However, one horse who stood out among the chaos and that is Epatante who provided general praise for trainer Nicky Henderson.
Here are some of the highlights of Day 1 of the Grand National Festival at Liverpool, England along with their odds at 365bet.
Epatante surprised naysayers
Being the star of 2020 Champion Hurdle that were held in Cheltenham, many naysayers have their qualms about Epatanate’s ability to run a two-and-a-half-mile in the Aintree Hurdle. However, she put all of their doubts aside with her performance at the event.
Coleman, who is her rider, told in an interview about the horse and their incredible performance. He said, “ She has an incredible year and Nicky is obviously a prolific trainer. For this racehorse, who had a rough time last year but still produced an incredible force at the racecourse, and to bounce back in her heightened form after the Champion Hurdle was what makes me happy.”
Meanwhile, she has 10/1 betting odds to win the race at the reputable betting platform 365Bet.
Back-to-back wins for Clan Des Obeaux
Meanwhile, in Betway Bowl, Clan Des Obeaux claimed the top championship spot for the second time in a row. Harry Cobden’s mare made a smart decision on the race from start to finish and as he outrun Irish Gold Cup champion Conflated who is under the tutelage of Davy Russell.
While he never won the race last season, Clan Des Obeaux still had a good run last year. Clan Des Obeaux has a 10/1 odds to win the Betway Bowl at bet365.
More wins for Miller’s Bank
Meanwhile, in the SSS Super Alloys Manifesto Novices’ Chase, Miller’s Bank won the top spot to open the Aintree Grand National. Jockey Kielan Woods and trainer Alex Hales combined their forces to make the winning possible with their mare.
Miller’s Bank had pleasant memories because of the race, having participated in the Aintree Hurdle last year. Tizzard’s War Lord and The Widdow Maker came in second and third places respectively.
The result of the game left Wood and Hales emotional with the trainer saying “It took a very long spell to arrive here and it is such a wonderful experience. We doubled our efforts to win and we did our best to find such a unique horse like him. It’s such a delight.”
Tension between Knight and Piper was visible
Pied Piper won last month in the Cheltenham, but jockey Gordon Elliott and trainer Davy Russell knew that their mare Wild would definitely stand out in the Juvenile Hurdle. Meanwhile, his rival Brazil went on the third place.
Although, nothing can beat the power of Knight Salute who became the leading horse in the Juvenile Hurdle event. Both Paddy Brennan and M. Harris trained their horses very hard to keep their champion on the front.
While the race is tight and everyone is neck-on-neck with each other, Knight Salute still emerged victorious.
Andrews made a record at Foxhunters’ Pass
Meanwhile, in the Foxhunters’ Open Hunters’ Chase, jockey Gina Andrews made a record-breaking move as she delivered her tough mare Latenightpass on the finishing spot.
Second-placer Cat Tiger was also a force to reckon with as David Maxwell’s horse was a close call to win the race if it wasn’t for Latenightpass who pushed through to the end. Meanwhile, the third place was snatched by W. Biddick’s Porlock Bay.
For the event, Latenightpass has a betting odds of 25/4 to win at the betting website 365Bet.
Conclusion
The Aintree’s Grand National Festival was filled with exciting racing events that featured many interesting mares and their jockeys. However, the success of Coleman’s Epatante is the one that stood out among others in the race full of disappointments and redemptions.
