Nico de Boinville: “He is just a phenomenal, superb racehorse, with a wonderful temperament.”

2.20pm Aintree

Pawapuri

On the bare form, she has an awful lot to find with the likes of Triumph Hurdle third Zenta, but she shaped a lot better than the beaten distance would suggest on her hurdling debut in the Adonis at Kempton in February. A progressive and lightly-raced middle-distance performer on the Flat, she travelled well into that race before getting tired from 2 out and I’d be hopeful you’d see a better filly on Thursday. She will need to be to get into the mix here, obviously.

2.55pm Aintree

Shishkin

He actually ran an unbelievably good race at Cheltenham in the circumstances. We all saw how he was never travelling with the ease and fluency he had done at Ascot in the early stages of the race, and just what a shuddering mistake he made 3 out. So for him to finish second, coming back for more on the run-in, was pretty remarkable and testament to his courage. I know you always hear this but we have genuinely been delighted with him since Cheltenham and, while he does have a question or two to answer again now, we go there very hopeful of a big run, as he goes up in trip again. But with Bravemansgame, A Plus Tard, Conflated and Ahoy Senor up against him you do not need me to tell you what an unbelievably hot race this is.

3.30pm Aintree

Constitution Hill

This is the first time he would have run beyond 2m since his infamous second in his point in 2021, but I can’t see the 2m4f trip being a problem at all. The weather could get pretty bad and we all saw at Cheltenham how you are only one miss-step away from being on the deck, but clearly you are struggling for negatives when assessing his chances here. He is just a phenomenal, superb racehorse, with a wonderful temperament – you have probably seen all the clips from him at the Good Friday Open Day at Seven Barrows – and I imagine he will excel at everything he is asked to do. The likes of Epatante will keep him honest but of course we are very hopeful.

5.15pm Aintree

Telepathique

I haven’t ridden her in any of her two starts but I liked the way she did it at Warwick last time. Clearly, that form needs majorly improving on here  – the form hasn’t worked out particularly well so far – but of course the potential is there.