Horse Power: Tommy's Oscar can win the Old Roan Chase at Aintree

TOMMY'S OSCAR can win the Jewson Fast Set Finish Old Roan Limited Handicap Chase (GBB Race) (2pm) as racing returns to the home of the Randox Grand National on Sunday afternoon. While on the Flat on Saturday afternoon DIEGO VELAZQUEZ can win the Group One Kameko Futurity Stakes (No Geldings) (2.10pm) at Doncaster if the meeting passes a precautionary inspection at 7.30am on Saturday morning.

Aintree Racecourse hosts its first meeting of the new season on Sunday for the first time since the changes to the Grand National. Although there won’t be any race over the big Grand National fences, the feature is Grade Two Old Roan, looks a cracker with Paul Nicholls’ Hitman – second in this race last year; the smart My Drogo – from the Dan Skelton stable – returning after 687 days off the track; and last season’s Grand Sefton Chase hero Al Dancer lining up over the Mildmay fences. But it is the Ann Hamilton-trained Tommy’s Oscar that makes the most appeal as the winner.

The Hamilton stable won the Old Roan Chase with a similar type in Nuts Well in 2020 and Tommy’s Oscar may provide them with another winner at Aintree. The eight-year-old Oscar gelding is still relatively unexposed over fences but has not been out of the first two in his six chase starts, winning three including a Grade Two contest at Doncaster back in January. His latest success at Kelso was impressive, scoring by six-and-a-half lengths in a Handicap Chase. He can build on that, stepping up in trip to 2m4f for the first time since his hurdling days. Tommy’s Oscar will have a fitness advantage over some of his main rivals and more improvement is likely stepped up in trip and back up in grade.

Nicholls’ INTHEWATERSIDE can make a winning debut over obstacles in the