Grand National Festival – Politologue out to heal Aintree scars in the Melling Chase
Paul Nicholls' Politologue will look to get a much-deserved Grade 1 success at Aintree after stumbling late on in a Grade 1 on Merseyside last year, but he has a strong Irish contingent up against him in the JLT Melling Chase.
POLITOLOGUE will look to make amends for a late stumble at Aintree last year in the JLT Melling Chase on Friday.
Paul Nicholls' grey, owned by John Hales, fell after the final fences when the Grade 1 Maghull Novices' Chase was seemingly his.
The seven-year-old has since won a Tingle Creek Chase this season and has good claims of completing a sort of redemption mission for both himself at Aintree and his owner in the Melling Chase, 20 years after the brilliant One Man brought Hales to tears after falling in the race. He had to be put down after fracturing a tibia bone.
Time has helped ease the pain, but Hales will never forget him.
"The sadness is now over," he told Press Association Sport.
"I also like to think Aintree paid us back when Neptune Collonges won the Grand National six years ago.
"It was a terrible, terrible day when we lost One Man, but when I return to Aintree now, the feeling I have is one of pride about what he achieved on a racecourse."
Politologue's task has been lessened by Altior's defection from the Melling, but a strong Irish challenge nonetheless stands in his way.
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Hales said: "Altior is a freak and probably the best horse in training, so it helps that he isn't running.
"It's still a very competitive race, but I think stepping back up to two and a half miles will suit Politologue.
"They'll also go a slower pace over a longer trip and on slower ground compared to Cheltenham.
"We'll have his wind looked at in the summer because I'm not sure he got up the hill in the Queen Mother, but hopefully he still does a bit better than at Cheltenham."
Nicholls also saddles Le Prezien, who won the Grand Annual at the Cheltenham Festival.
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He will need to step up to compete with Champion Chase runner-up Min, who represents Willie Mullins and Rich Ricci.
Patrick Mullins, the trainer's son and assistant, said: "He ran a fantastic race in Cheltenham and no Altior there makes life easier.
"He won over two and a half miles on his first start of the season at Gowran, so the trip and ground shouldn't be a problem.
"If he can reproduce his Cheltenham form, he must have a good chance in a fascinating race."
Ryanair Chase winner Balko Des Flos is a big player for Henry de Bromhead.
"He seems in great form. Obviously he is coming back over to England again, so we will see how he gets on here, but he is in great form at home," said the Knockeen-based trainer.
"We always knew he was a good horse, it was just a case of whether the ground would suit him or not at Cheltenham. Thankfully it did and it was a great day.
"Davy (Russell) gave him a super ride at Cheltenham and he did what we hoped he might do and it was great to see.
"Of course races at Cheltenham can take it out of them, but he seems in good form and appears fresh and well.
"We will find out how he is tomorrow."
Ryanair third Cloudy Dream and big outsider Sizing Granite complete the six-runner field.