Jane Mangan’s William Hill blog: Could Readin Tommy right his Wrongs?

William Hill ambassador Jane Mangan looks ahead to the second day of action from Aintree’s Grand National Festival.

Aintree, Friday

Starting with the Mildmay Novices’ Chase (1.45pm) Chianti Classico can follow up his win in the Ultima at Cheltenham by beating the J P McManus pair Inothewayurthinkin and Iroko in this three-mile contest. He proved his two wins at Chepstow and Ascot this season were no fluke when well on top of Twig and Meetingofthewaters at Cheltenham. I think this horse is improving, he’s 4lbs shy of Inothewayurthinkin on ratings, but he’s a year older and might just be a little bit more mature at this stage of his life.

In the William Hill Handicap Hurdle (2.20pm) I’m keen on Might I at an each-way price. The horse was fourth in the Martin Pipe last year to Iroko. He went chasing this year and, despite winning, I think he lost his confidence and ultimately will be better back over hurdles. His run behind Langer Dan reads worse than it is in reality and I think he is better than that performance. The handicapper has dropped him a further 2lbs to 140, so if he can be competitive in the Martin Pipe off of a mark of 145, he can surely run well off 140 if he’s back to anywhere near his best.

It is very difficult to look past Mystical Power in the Top Novices’ Hurdle (2.55pm). I thought that he just got out-stayed up the hill by Slade Steel in the Supreme. I think the flatter track around Aintree will hopefully dry out and I think he’ll be winning despite the ground. He has a lot of speed and Mark Walsh can deploy those tactics late. He’s keen so he will need to settle but he’s been very good all the way along and he lacked nothing in defeat at Cheltenham. This lad will be put to the test, but he’s got class, he’s got gears and I hope Walsh plays his cards late. He may well have too much class for the opposition.

The Melling Chase (3.30pm) has got seven runners, so there’s no each-way betting here. I’m interested in the top four of the market: Jonbon, Protektorat, Pic D’Orhy and Envoi Allen. I think at the trip of two-and-a-half-miles I’m going to go for Protektorat. He was very good in the Ryanair and it looks like this is his optimum trip as he didn’t quite stay the Cheltenham Gold Cup trip in his two attempts. I think the Skeltons have realised that this distance is his sweet spot. He’s rated only 3lbs lower than Jonbon and there might be more to come.

The Topham (4.05pm), over 2m5f, is never easy to figure out! Life In The Park ran a huge race in the Plate when finishing fourth for Henry de Bromhead in the colours of Minella Indo. I think that a 1lb rise was fair and Rachael Blackmore now doing the steering is a huge asset to him. I think that he can run a very good race in the Topham as he is a very good jumper. He’s a brother to Lifetime Ambition and I think he might just have more improvement to come as a seven-year-old. He can confirm his form with James Du Berlais and run a big race for connections, who also have Minella Indo running in the big one.

Finally, in the Sefton Novices’ Hurdle (4.40pm) I like Readin Tommy Wrong, despite his no show at Cheltenham. It speaks volumes that Paul Townend is staying loyal to him, even though Albert Bartlett third Dancing City is in the field. On the back of the run at Cheltenham, he’s going to be a bit more of a price, so I’m going to take a chance that he’s back to his best. If he bounces back to his Naas form then he’ll be very hard to beat.