Rest of Liverpool previewHardy Eustace heads a strong Irish team for the Scottish And Newcastle Aintree Hurdle today and the former double Champion Hurdle winner looks capable of a popular return to the winners' circle.
A disrupted preparation for what would have been a historic third Champion at Cheltenham last month ended in failure but Hardy Eustace still performed well enough to provoke a sense of what might have been among his connections.
Dessie Hughes' star was a highly honourable third to Brave Inca and Macs Joy but almost immediately jockey Conor O'Dwyer was wondering if the story might have been different if Hardy Eustace's route to the festival had been smooth.
It's significant then that the horse reappears so quickly and comes back to a course he hasn't seen since 2003 when illness prevented him giving his true running. This time the preparation problems have been for O'Dwyer who will be having his first ride back since sustaining a slight fracture of his left ankle in a schooling accident 10 days ago.
It's a tough race to come back in as it features last year's winner, Al Eile, something of a course specialist, and the highly progressive Sky's The Limit who embarrassed the handicapper with a sauntering success in the Coral Cup.
At her best Asian Maze, another course winner, also comes into calculations but in what may emerge as an Irish benefit, Hardy Eustace looks one of those rare commodities, a horse who will actually improve from Cheltenham.
The other Grade One contest is the Maghull Novices Chase where Voy Por Ustedes tries to follow up his Arkle triumph at Cheltenham.
Accordion Etoile fell at the eighth in that race and bids for compensation here but Paul Nolan's horse has been consistently denied the fast ground conditions he needs to be at his best.
Instead, Foreman could be the one to overturn a six-length deficit from Cheltenham and edge out Voy Por Ustedes this time.
Arthur Moore has an excellent record at Aintree and both the ground and the trip look ideal for Well Tutored in the amateur rides chase.
The seven-year-old was a well beaten fourth at Naas last time but that was over three miles. Over a half a mile shorter at Gowran in January he was an easy winner and Well Tutored looks one to follow again.
Pure Theatre and Streetshavenoname are the Irish runners in the concluding bumper but Nicky Henderson's Mam Ratagan is a buzz horse for this.
