The Turners Chase at the Cheltenham Festival wasn't the best on day one of the Grand National, but IROKO (best price 4-1), who ran better than his finishing position suggested a month ago, is expected to add class.
As it turned out, the atypical method may have found him out at Prestbury Park, where he had just one run at Warwick.
The speed number showed he was still functioning at a decent grade despite not being able to hit the top players. The six-year-old can put his modest stable on the map at Grade 1 level after proving himself over today's track over hurdles last year.
Sir Gino's win gives the Seven Barrows runners optimism for the rest of the meeting, and JANGO BAIE (best price 11-1), already proved at Grade 1 level on today's course, appears expensive given his form.
A brave winner in December, Nicky Henderson's prisoner has twice been runner-up since, but with reasonable reasons, he could have arrived unblemished.
His powerful late finish over Kelso's 2m2f journey suggested a move up in distance, and his starting mark of 139 is not punitive. The son of Tiger Groom is appealing.
Having influenced the Pertemps Final, KYNTARA (best price 10-1) may lead the charge in that three-mile handicap on his first run outside of Cheltenham.
According to the facts, the Pertemps outperforms the Grade 1 Stayer's Hurdle over the same C&D, and having previously liked today's course, a return to Merseyside might bring back memories.