Aintree awaits select team

With the Cheltenham Festival all done an dusted for another season attention turns to the Randox Grand National meeting at Aintree as the 2025/26 National Hunt season enters its final furlong.

Over the years the three-day meeting has provided Alan and his team at Barbury Castle Stables with some wonderful moments including Voy Por Ustedes back-to-back wins in the Grade One Melling Chase in 2008 and 2009.

One race that Alan has a exceeded in is the Goffs Nickel Coin Mares’ Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race, which he has won a record three-times since its inception in 2005.

And this year Alan will be double handed in trying to secure a record-extending fourth success in the Grade Two contest which concludes the action on the opening day of the meeting on Thursday.

Flying the flag for Alan in this year’s renewal of the race will be Martini Majesty, who won on her debut at Ascot back in February and Seven Stars, who made it third time lucky last time out at Hereford.

Alan said: “Martini Majesty won well at Ascot. The form hasn’t worked out, which is a little bit of a worry, but we have always liked her. It will be difficult for a four-year-old, but we are going to give it a go.

“Seven Stars won well at Hereford. She has had three runs so she is a bit more battle hardened than the other filly, and that experience will help her.”

Twenty four hours after both Martini Majesty and Seven Stars have graced the turf at the Merseyside venue it will be the turn of stablemates Favour and Fortune and Baron Noir to strut their stuff.

First up will be be Favour And Fortune, who will bid to build on an encouraging comeback run at Kempton Park in February, on what was his first start in 323-days, when attempting to shoulder top weight to glory in the William Hill Handicap Hurdle, which he was third in last year.

Alan said: “He was supposed to go novice chasing in the autumn, but he had a setback so it was too late to go over fences with him this season.

“I was happy enough with his run at Kempton Park and he has been in good form since.

“He was only just ready to run at Kempton Park, but we needed to get him out and this race has always been the plan after he ran so well in it last year.”

Few youngsters have got Alan as excited as Baron Noir in recent seasons. Although the progressive six-year-old suffered defeat on his hurdles debut at Warwick he soon left that effort behind with wins at Uttoxeter and Kempton Park.

The son of Vadamos ran a highly comendable race in defeat when pitched into Grade One company for the first time when finishing fourth in the Sky Bet Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at last month’s Festival.

And, with that effort under his belt, Alan hopes he can once again hold his own at Grade One level in the ThatPrizeGuy Top Novices’ Hurdle.

Alan said: “Baron Noir seems in grand form and I’m very happy with him.

“It was a good performance from him in the Supreme as he was not really battle hardened enough for that race, which I said might be the case beforehand.

“Hopefully that will have brought him on again and he can feature prominently here.”