Aintree

14:55 - RESULT

Runners: 7 Distance: 3m 1f Chase Going: GD/SF(GD PL)

Form
EW Places: 1/4 ODDS - 2 PLACES

Verdict: In a notable clash between two very smart and largely progressive chasers, SPILLANE'S TOWER gets the vote ahead of Grey Dawning.

1st	4. Gaelic Warrior 2nd Fav	11/4
2nd	5. Grey Dawning Fav	9/4
3rd	7. Stage Star	11/1

Favourite

9/4

Grey Dawning

Jockey: Harry Skelton Trainer: Dan Skelton Age/Wt: 8/11-10 F: 3-2P1 OR: 162

3 tips

9/4

Comment: Very smart novice chaser last term, the highlight a Grade 1 win at Cheltenham, and ran well (clear second) in a gruelling Betfair Chase at Haydock on reappearance; unable to recover from a bad early mistake in the King George, then had a confidence booster at Kelso (good to soft) where he comfortably beat leading Grand National contender Iroko and delivered a positive performance with Aintree in mind; respected.

Date	Course/Race Class/Type	Class	Result	SP	OR
01/03/25	Kelso / Listed / C	1	1 / 4	5/6	162
26/12/24	Kempton / Grade 1 / C	1	P / 11	13/2	165
23/11/24	Haydock / Grade 1 / C	1	2 / 7	15/8	157
11/04/24	Aintree / Grade 1 / C	1	3 / 5	11/10	158
14/03/24	Cheltenham / Grade 1 / C	1	1 / 11	5/2	153
13/01/24	Warwick / Grade 2 / C	1	1 / 5	5/4	144

2nd Favourite

11/4

Gaelic Warrior

Jockey: Mr P W Mullins Trainer: W. P. Mullins Age/Wt: 7/11-10 F: U1-223 OR: 164

2 tips

11/4

Comment: Impressive in last season's Arkle but has failed to reproduce that form kept to about 2m since; has good form beyond that trip and his sole attempt at about 3m resulted in his peak hurdles performance, namely an emphatic success in Grade 1 novice at Punchestown (yielding) two years ago; has the ability to play a huge role, provided the belated return to this sort of distance prompts a revival.

Date	Course/Race Class/Type	Class	Result	SP	OR
02/02/25	Leopardstown / Grade 1 / C	-	3 / 8	6/4	165
27/12/24	Leopardstown / Grade 1 / C	-	2 / 9	13/8	166
02/05/24	Punchestown / Grade 1 / C	-	2 / 4	1/3	167
12/03/24	Cheltenham / Grade 1 / C	1	1 / 10	2/1	157
04/02/24	Leopardstown / Grade 1 / C	-	U / 2	4/7	-
28/12/23	Limerick / Grade 1 / C	-	1 / 5	4/7	-

Embassy Gardens

Jockey: P Townend Trainer: W. P. Mullins Age/Wt: 9/11-10 F: 2-P16 OR: 160

5/1

Comment: Stablemate of Gaelic Warrior; record of 3-6 over fences features a very useful performance at Tramore (2m7f, heavy) on New Year's Day; subsequently came up short in the Irish Gold Cup, taking overall Grade 1 form figures to P6P6; still has something to prove at this level.

Date	Course/Race Class/Type	Class	Result	SP	OR
01/02/25	Leopardstown / Grade 1 / C	-	6 / 10	16/1	157
01/01/25	Tramore / Grade 3 / C	-	1 / 7	9/1	150
30/04/24	Punchestown / Grade 1 / C	-	P / 7	7/2	150
12/03/24	Cheltenham / Grade 2 / C	1	2 / 7	7/4	150
28/01/24	Naas / Grade 3 / C	-	1 / 4	8/13	-
12/12/23	Punchestown / Unknown / C	-	1 / 6	8/11	-

Ahoy Senor

Jockey: P W Wadge Trainer: Lucinda Russell Age/Wt: 10/11-10 F: 2-3PPF OR: 165

3 tips

6/1

Comment: Comes with some risk having failed to complete in his last three starts (had wind surgery prior to latest); however, comes alive at Aintree and has performed well in this race for the last two years, taking form figures at this meeting to 1122 (gained the wins in Grade 1 novice events over hurdles/fences); big player provided that pattern is sustained.

Date	Course/Race Class/Type	Class	Result	SP	OR
14/03/25	Cheltenham / Grade 1 / C	1	F / 9	28/1	165
19/01/25	Windsor / Unknown / C	2	P / 6	5/1	168
23/11/24	Haydock / Grade 1 / C	1	P / 7	8/1	169
27/10/24	Aintree / Grade 2, Handicap / C	1	3 / 5	11/2	169
11/04/24	Aintree / Grade 1 / C	1	2 / 7	17/2	158
14/03/24	Cheltenham / Grade 1 / C	1	6 / 11	18/1	160

Stage Star

Jockey: H Cobden Trainer: Paul Nicholls Age/Wt: 9/11-10 F: P5-472 OR: 163

2 tips

11/1

Comment: Best known for his 2m4f exploits that include Grade 1 novice wins over hurdles/fences; however, put up a good fight against odds-on L'Homme Presse when upped to 3m1f in Grade 2 at Cheltenham (soft) most recently, emerging as the best horse at the weights; one of a few runners who remain unexposed at this sort of trip.

Date	Course/Race Class/Type	Class	Result	SP	OR
25/01/25	Cheltenham / Grade 2 / C	1	2 / 6	13/2	159
14/12/24	Cheltenham / Grade 3, Handicap / C	1	7 / 11	11/1	162
27/10/24	Aintree / Grade 2, Handicap / C	1	4 / 5	2/1	163
14/03/24	Cheltenham / Grade 1 / C	1	5 / 11	6/1	166
01/01/24	Cheltenham / Grade 3, Handicap / C	1	P / 6	11/10	166
18/11/23	Cheltenham / Grade 3, Handicap / C	1	1 / 14	4/1	155

The Real Whacker

Jockey: B S Hughes Trainer: Patrick Neville Age/Wt: 9/11-10 F: 5-U145 OR: 157

1 tip

12/1

Comment: Charlie Hall winner at Wetherby in November; creditable fourth in the last two runnings of the King George but hasn't fared so well in the last two Gold Cups and is still seeking a first Grade 1 success outside novice company; balance of form gives him something to find.

Date	Course/Race Class/Type	Class	Result	SP	OR
14/03/25	Cheltenham / Grade 1 / C	1	5 / 9	28/1	159
26/12/24	Kempton / Grade 1 / C	1	4 / 11	14/1	159
02/11/24	Wetherby / Grade 2 / C	1	1 / 6	5/1	157
25/09/24	Listowel / Grade 3, Handicap / C	-	U / 17	9/1	155
27/04/24	Sandown / Grade 2 / C	1	5 / 7	5/2	159
15/03/24	Cheltenham / Grade 1 / C	1	P / 11	40/1	162

Djelo

Jockey: Charlie Deutsch Trainer: Venetia Williams Age/Wt: 7/11-10 F: 8-21217 OR: 166

1 tip

14/1

Comment: Always behind and well beaten in the Ryanair but may benefit from this step back up in distance, having been well suited by 2m7f in the Denman Chase at Newbury (one of two soft-ground Grade 2 wins this term) the time before; largely progressive prior to latest start and unexposed over staying trips.

Date	Course/Race Class/Type	Class	Result	SP	OR
13/03/25	Cheltenham / Grade 1 / C	1	7 / 9	15/2	166
08/02/25	Newbury / Grade 2 / C	1	1 / 7	6/4	160
19/01/25	Windsor / Unknown / C	2	2 / 6	5/4	160
08/12/24	Huntingdon / Grade 2 / C	1	1 / 5	2/1	149
08/11/24	Exeter / Grade 2, Handicap / C	1	2 / 5	7/4	147
13/04/24	Aintree / Grade 1 / C	1	8 / 10	16/1	148

Spillane's Tower

Jockey: M P Walsh Trainer: James Joseph Mangan Age/Wt: 7/11-10 F: 21-125 OR: 165

2 tips

Comment: Finished only fifth when favourite for the King George (good) on last appearance; otherwise a progressive chaser and remains of strong interest with a rebound on the cards; completed a Grade 1 double (2m4f/3m1f) last spring before running very well in a cracking John Durkan at Punchestown (2m3f) where he split the Willie Mullins-trained stars Fact To File and Galopin Des Champs; that bare form is very persuasive.

Date	Course/Race Class/Type	Class	Result	SP	OR
26/12/24	Kempton / Grade 1 / C	1	5 / 11	11/4	165
24/11/24	Punchestown / Grade 1 / C	-	2 / 8	18/1	155
30/04/24	Punchestown / Grade 1 / C	-	1 / 7	5/2	150
31/03/24	Fairyhouse / Grade 1 / C	-	1 / 7	7/4	145
02/03/24	Navan / Grade 3 / C	-	2 / 4	7/4	145
14/01/24	Punchestown / Grade 3 / C	-	1 / 6	7/1	137