Ballyfad aiming to give Elliott a fifth successive Mersey win

Ballyfad gets the opportunity to put Cheltenham Festival disappointment behind him and continue Gordon Elliott’s recent dominance in the Turners Mersey Novices’ Hurdle at Aintree.

The point-to-point recruit was a dual bumper winner and impressed on his hurdling debut before being only narrowly denied Grade One honours by Talk The Talk at February’s Dublin Racing Festival, so connections understandably headed for Prestbury Park with high hopes.

Gigginstown House Stud’s Eddie O’Leary is unsure whether a kick down at the start contributed to an underwhelming display in the Turners Novices’ Hurdle and hopes he can bounce back in a race his trainer has won in each of the past four seasons.

“He was kicked at the start at Cheltenham, maybe it was nothing and he seems OK after it,” said O’Leary.

“We hope he’s better than that, we’ll see.”

The home team is headed by Dan Skelton’s pair of Soldier Reeves and Bossman Jack, who finished fourth and sixth respectively in the same Festival race. Harry Skelton has stuck with the latter.

“They both ran very well in the Turners at Cheltenham. Bossman Jack made a mistake at the last and he may have been second without that,” Skelton told Ladbrokes.

“He is obviously a high-class horse and travelled very well. I think this track will suit him. He’s not had a particularly hard year, and I would have to give him a fair chance.

“I wouldn’t say Soldier Reeves surprised us at Cheltenham because we thought the step up to two and a half would really suit him and it did. He was flying late on, and I think he will run similarly well.

“He’s not a complainer and wouldn’t know how to be over the top. He is a horse who just wants to run, and I think he will go really well.”

Tom Lacey saddles Kelso Grade Two winner Montemares, while Olly Murphy steps Scorpio Rising up in grade after he completed a four-timer in the EBF Final at Sandown last month.

Murphy said: “He’s in good form and deserves a go at the top table. He bolted up at Sandown in a really competitive handicap and he comes here having not gone to one of those big handicaps at Cheltenham, albeit he ran the Saturday before.

“He looks a lovely chaser for next season and I’m looking forward to having a go at this before we put him away for the summer.”

Another horse to sidestep Cheltenham is Masked Man, who has not been seen since landing very cramped odds at Lingfield in mid-December.

Willy Twiston-Davies, who trains the five-year-old in partnership with his father Nigel, said: “Masked Man is a horse I like a lot. If anything, I’d say he’s a horse to follow next year. His natural talent is definitely there.

“There is no reason why he shouldn’t have a chance in a Grade One as everything at home shows he’s a very, very talented horse and something to look forward to.”