On Tour and Pearls Legend among Aintree tips for Saturday

Geordie Des Champs created a huge impression when making a winning debut over the obstacles and looks the answer to the 2m 4f novices’ hurdle that gets proceedings underway (12.55).

The Rebecca Curtis trained five-year-old had some smart form in bumpers when winning one of his three starts and looked a hurdler with tremendous potential when beating Caspar King by 3/4 of a length in the 12-runner contest at Chepstow earlier in the month.

Geordie Des Champs jumped superbly throughout and only had to be driven out by jockey Barry Geraghty to score with more in hand than the winning margin suggests.

The third home Capeland has come out and won since to give the form a boost and it was a performance which suggested that the J P McManus owned Geordie Des Champs was an exciting prospect who needed keeping firmly onside.

Lots to like about Pearls Legend

Pearls Legend has a good record fresh and looks worth a punt at the odds on offer in the 2m handicap chase (15.45).

John Spearing’s gelding is a tough and consistent sort who ran a blinder at Ascot 12 months ago on seasonal reappearance when runner-up to Cold March.

The nine-year-old went on to land a competitive contest at Cheltenham off a a mark of 133 and was also far from disgraced when fifth of 24 to Solar Impulse in the Grand Annual at the Festival off 138.

Pearls Legend went on to round off the campaign with a solid fourth over course and distance and now returns to action off a rating 136, just 3lb higher than when last successful, and looks weighted to run a huge race.

Aintree tips for Saturday

12.55: Geordie Des Champs
13.30: Definite Outcome
14.05: Caid Du Berlais
14.40: Un Temps Pour Tout
15.10: On Tour (NAP)
15.45: Pearls Legend (NB)
16.15: Cruiseaweigh

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