Warren Greatrex is confident Bill Baxter is “just as well as ever” as he looks to regain his crown in the Randox Topham Handicap Chase at Aintree on Friday.
The two-mile-five-furlong contest gives professional jockeys an early sighter of the Grand National fences 24 hours before the world’s most famous steeplechase and the 2023 renewal saw popular grey Bill Baxter strike gold in the hands of Sam Twiston-Davies.
Plenty of water has passed under the bridge during the intervening three years, but Greatrex’s charge won at the Punchestown Festival last spring and will return to Merseyside having chased home subsequent National Hunt Chase runner-up King Of Answers at Kelso.
“Bill’s in great form. I know they will do everything they can so that the ground is good to soft and he obviously loves the fences,” said Greatrex.
“He won the race off a lower rating three years ago but he’s in really good form, he had a nice run up at Kelso and the winner of that race has gone and run very well at the Cheltenham Festival.
“He’s a 10-year-old now but we haven’t ever over-raced him, he’s just as well as ever and I’m sure he will give a good account of himself.
“He’s still holding his form, he’s still wanting to do the job and we are going to a place that he likes, so we will see.”
Bill Baxter is one of maximum field of 30 runners declared for the Topham, with former King George runner-up Il Est Francais a fascinating runner over the National fences.
