Top class card kicks off the Aintree Festival with all eyes on Bob Olinger

Bob Olinger has emerged as the 11/10 favourite for the Aintree Hurdle with BoyleSports as declarations were made for the opening day of the Aintree Festival. 

Having hit a high of 9/4 in recent days, the Henry de Bromhead-trained gelding has been the subject of sustained support as owner Robcour prepares for a big day at the Liverpool venue.

With a field of eight going to post for the Grade One, Impaire Et Passe heads the challengers at odds of 9/4, while Coral Cup winner Langer Dan is best of the home team at 8/1. 

With two-and-a-half miles set to play to the strengths of the market leader, punters are buoyant that he will gain his first Grade One in open company over hurdles and confirm the five-length advantage he held over Impaire Et Passe when the pair met in the Irish Champion Hurdle. 

The opening day of the festival could be one to remember for the Robcour team as they also field Gordon Elliott’s star stayer Gerri Colombe in the day one feature, the Aintree Bowl.

Last seen finishing second to Galopin Des Champs in the Cheltenham Gold Cup, the eight-year-old is the 6/4 favourite to gain a second Grade One at Aintree, having won the Mildmay Novices’ Chase last year. 

Shishkin, who comes to Aintree a fresh horse having missed the Cheltenham Gold Cup is the 3/1 second favourite just ahead of Emmett Mullins’ Corbetts Cross (4/1) who bids to buck the trends and win the race as a novice. 

Four Grade Ones will open the three-day Festival, with Grey Dawning (11/10) and Sir Gino (5/6) topping the markets for the Manifesto Novices’ Chase and the Anniversary Juvenile Hurdle, ensuring an even two apiece split between the UK and Ireland as far as favourites are concerned as Ireland’s numerical dominance in the Grand National continues to dominate headlines. 

Corach Rambler remains 5/1 favourite to land the Aintree feature for a second successive year, but Willie Mullins raider and former BoyleSports Irish Grand National winner I Am Maximus is now hot on the heels of Lucinda Russell’s charge at 7/1.

Brian O’Keeffe, spokesperson for BoyleSports, said: “A fantastic card kicks off the Aintree Festival on Thursday with four Grade Ones to whet the appetite ahead of the Grand National on Saturday. It’s a three-day battle between the bookies and the punters, with the latter confident that Bob Olinger will get them off to a flying start.”

Aintree Hurdle

11/10    Bob Olinger

9/4        Impaire Et Passe

8/1        Langer Dan

9/1        Lucia

14/1      Nemean Lion

16/1      Maries Rock

66/1      Beacon Edge

100/1    Mahons Glory