Dave Nevison top tips: Eagle can advertise Aintree claims

David Pipe’s gelding might well have been expected to improve over fences and was well backed last time, but he showed little despite being well backed. 

He is back over hurdles here, but he has been stepped up massively in trip and it looks very likely to suit him on pedigree as he is all about stamina. 

This is the first handicap he has run in over hurdles, and he is off an absolute rock bottom mark. Given that he was runner up in a point to point, he does possess ability. 

He also has a very experienced conditional rider on board in Ben Bromley. If the trip suits as expected, he may be on board a favourably treated runner. 

Has been a grand campaigner in good class handicaps on the Flat and after trotting up at odds-on in two modest novice hurdles looks ready to replicate that over jumps. 

The handicapper has rated him on the form of his two wins against poor opposition and he looks well-in off just 123, certainly relative to his Flat mark, and this 0-140 looks a good bit of placing by his trainer. 

He enjoys a flat track and although he hasn’t placed in two attempts at Doncaster before, he has been very highly tried and I expect the course to suit him well, especially over the longest trip he has tried over hurdles. 

He will likely head on to Aintree if things go to plan here. 

There is no doubt Rockola is fortunate to be on a hat-trick as she was only in third place when the likely winner fell at the last here last time. 

However, if that race had been run over Thursday’s trip she might well have won anyway, as she stayed on well. 

Her pedigree is all about stamina, so this step up looks ideal and it will be a surprise if she doesn’t improve. She should be able to concede the weight.