Aintree 1.45 9 Lough Derg Spirit @ 9/1 (NON RUNNER) / 5 Spiritofthegames @ 9/1 / 12 Massinis Trap @ 16/1 / LANDIN - added at 10:10am 

(Skybet go odds to 6th place / Lads / Coral / PP go odds to 5th place)

Another competitive race with 20 runners and again the anticipation of slightly softer Going has meant some late reconsiderations.

I had narrowed the 20 down to a working list of 5 and reluctantly leave out Zubayr and Landin from a final three. I think Zubayr;

who has had an interesting campaign on Flat and Jumps may just be found out by the Going and Landin, who is progressing

very quickly, might just find this level a bit too hot, if any of the 3 picks were to be non runners LANDIN would be my back up.

I also think Court Minstrel and Jester Jet could sneak in to the enhanced places in these conditions, but the 2 main picks look

very solid each way with the proven form they have. LOUGH DERG SPIRIT as a 3 mile Point 2 Point winner, may lack a turn

of foot, but the rain has aided it in that respect and it has won on soft over 2 miles, so not exactly slow. I liken it to THEINVAL;

in that it is the "marker form horse" anything that wants to pop up and win has to beat. The same can definitely apply to the

other market leader SPIRITOFTHEGAMES and 9/1 the pair looks cracking each way value. A recent runner up effort up the

hill at Kempton on soft bodes well for Going and stamina on this flatter track and hard to quibble about its chances.

The "plot horse" and an "Irish plot horse" at that could again be MASSINIS TRAP; it won here in 2016 off a mark of 127; was

3rd here in December in poor ground off a mark of 136; it is a "spring horse" has protected that mark of 136 since and comes

here with ideal conditions and proven love of this quirky tight fast paced circuit and looks very solid value at 16/1.