Horse Racing Tips: McCain and Benson to smoke rivals in Aintree 37/1 multiple

• Richmond over fences to grab Aintree win

• Benson can go one better than last year

• Alan Dudman has two Liverpool picks on Saturday

Aintree - 13:30: Back Richmond Lake

Saturday's 2m4f at Aintree in testing ground will be right up Richmond Lake's strasse and Don McCain's chaser looks the bet back over fences.

The 7yo was thought to have needed the race last time over hurdles on his season comeback at Wetherby, but he took advantage of a good mark in that sphere (137) to dominate from the front and win pretty easily. Considering that was over 2m, it was a fine way to take his steps to bigger targets.

What those targets will be down the line we'll see, as Michael Meagher mentioned after his Wetherby success they were pencilling in Aintree over 2m4f on Boxing Day, so he must be in good shape to try his hand in this. The Red Rum has been mooted too.

He was most progressive last season - turning away his suitors one by one in three novice wins at Wetherby, Haydock and Ayr.

He looks as though he'll get 3m and heavy conditions over the intermediate trip will suit him I am sure. Going left-handed is important to him, as is the soft or heavy ground.

Jumping-wise he was a bit novicey at times last season, but he won at Haydock and if you can jump those fences, you can jump anywhere.

McCain has had 2-10 at Aintree at 20% this term and a profit of +5.00, which is well up on his five year stats, and while a mark of 142 demands a bit more, he will have his conditions.

Aintree - 15:15: Back Benson

Benson bids to go one better at Aintree than he did 12 months ago in the race when finishing second - an effort that saw him trade in defeat at 2.021/1 in-running.

Sandy Thomson, his Rugby-playing trainer, has done well to get him back to something like his best after a fallow period and he is another with soft ground to suit on Saturday. His owner Jim Fyffe has had some shrewd purchases in his time, but the 7k for Benson was well spent.

Although the cost of a packet of Bensons is probably not far off 7k these days.

The 8yo made his chase debut last time at Wetherby in a traditionally strong novice, but he was well beaten there and that should have put him spot on for this.

Running over 2m has seen him ridden differently as he landed the Morebattle at Kelso from a hopeless position to nail Colonel Mustard in the dying strides, but 2m4f with the ground slower should see him ridden more positively and he is a strong stayer.

He ran in the Coral Cup from 139, and he has been lowered 2lb to 137, which puts him well in the frame.

*Click here for Tony Calvin's Saturday ITV tips