Cheltenham's loss is Aintree's gain as the three-day Grand National meeting opens tomorrow with a host of star horses in action.

First Gold and See More Business, who would have gone head-to-head in the Gold Cup had the Cheltenham Festival survived the foot and mouth crisis, lock horns instead in the £120,000 Martell Cup Chase.

A cracking race is in prospect, with Frantic Tan, Lord Noellie and Legal Right also in the line-up. But First Gold is the one they all have to beat.

Francois Doumen's French raider should be well suited by Aintree's flat, sharp track, having produced his best performance to date at a similar course in Kempton, where he produced a brilliant display to win the King George VI Chase.

Although subsequently beaten at Newbury, First Gold was thought to be in need of that race by his shrewd trainer.

See More Business, well behind First Gold at Kempton, was below-par that day, but he will do well to turn the tables tomorrow in any case.

Frantic Tan is on the upgrade, Lord Noelie, a former top-notch novice, will appreciate the expected good ground, while Legal Right, despite his history of lameness, can never be discounted.

In a race to savour, I fancy First Gold to win, with Legal Right following him home.

The Martell Fox Hunters' Chase, run over one circuit of the Grand National course, offers Mr Snowman the chance to make it four straight wins this season.

A superb jumper and a horse on the upgrade, Mr Snowman has been trained specifically for this race and is in great heart following a decisive win at Warwick.

Wave Rock, who can not be faulted in terms of consistency, should not be left out of the reckoning in the Martell Red Rum Handicap Chase. Richard Johnson has the mount on Philip Hobbs' gelding.

Azertyuiop, unbeaten in two starts, bids to complete a hat-trick in the £100,000 Glenlivet Anniversary Four-Year-Old Hurdle.

Four-times a winner in France before joining Paul Nicholls, Adrian Maguire's mount underlined his star potential when landing a Grade 2 race at Wincanton in February.

Bilboa, a stable-mate of First Gold and a comfortable winner at Kempton on her last start, promises to give Azertyuiop most to do.

Tony Dobbin, who rode three winners at Musselburgh yesterday, has excellent prospects of ending the day in style by landing the Chivas Regal Handicap Chase on Paperising.

Trained by Nicky Richards, who supplied Dobbin with one of his Musselburgh winners, Paperising has won his last two races in the style of a horse on a high and is awarded the Nap vote.

Tomorrow's tips:

Aintree

2.00 - Springfield Scally

2.35 - First Gold

3.10 - Wave Rock

3.45 - Mr Snowman

4.20 - Azertyuiop

4.50 - Impek

5.20 - Paperising (Nap)

Updated: 13:31 Wednesday, April 04, 2001