Aintree Tips: Skelton’s charge to maintain winning start

Boxing Day is one of the highlights of the year for National Hunt fans and Thursday should be no different as Aintree hosts seven races between 11:55 and 15:25.

The going at the Merseyside track is expected to be good to soft and the highlight of the card is the Grade 1 Formby Novices Hurdle at 13:05. Here are our Aintree tips for what should be a cracking card on Boxing Day.

11:55 - Crystal Glance @ 7/4

Oliver Greenall & Josh Guerriero should be busy on Thursday with the trainers sending numerous runners across the country.

Four-year-old Crystal Glance has never disgraced Greenall, Guerriero and connections, with the daughter of Passing Glance yet to finish outside the top three.

Crystal Glance made her debut in April, finishing third at Hereford. She then won back-to-back contests at Bangor-on-Dee and Uttoxeter in May and November before finishing second to Slugger at Doncaster at the end of last month.

The handicapper has only put her up 3lb for that effort and the step up in trip should suit Crystal Glance on Thursday.

14:15 - Fortunate Man @ 9/4

Jonjo and AJ O'Neill will hope to see Fortunate Man return to the winners' enclosure for the first time since March when he competes at Aintree on Boxing Day.

The son of Soldier of Fortune has only raced at Carlisle this season, finishing seventh in October and second earlier this month.

Both of those performances saw Fortunate Man compete over fences and that improvement in just a few weeks was a huge statement.

Fortunate Man has only been handed a 4lb rise, which looks lenient, and he should be able to prosper over three miles.

15:25 - Dalston Lad @ 5/4

A field of six runners are to compete in the finale at Aintree on Thursday and Dan Skelton's Dalston Lad looks ready to pounce for the second race in a row.

The four-year-old won his P2P debut in April before triumphing on his bow for Skelton at Ayr in October.

Dalston Lad showed signs of greenness on that occasion, but he had enough quality to win the race and he should continue that form in what looks a weak field on Boxing Day.

The Donald McCain-trained Old Blue Eyes (15/2) appears the main danger but Skelton has high hopes for his charge, who is a son of Ocovango.

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