The Grand National Festival is almost here with the three-day festival at Aintree poised to provide some thrilling racing.
Last year’s winner I Am Maximus, trained by the legendary Willie Mullins, is back and among the main contenders eyeing up glory, while Iroko, Stumptown, Hewick, Intense Raffles and Vanillier are also heavily fancied by tipsters and experts.
I Am Maximus is attempting to create history as the first runner carrying top weight to win since three-time winner Red Rum in the 1970s, while only Tiger Roll has defended the title, in 2019, since then.
But before that, we’ll look forward to a star-studded card on Thursday, which includes former champion hurdler Constitution Hill, who was upset at Cheltenham Festival last month, in a heavyweight clash with Lossiemouth in the Aintree Hurdle, with officials compensating for the dry conditions by watering the ground to ensure the going is good to soft.
Here are the tips and best bets for day one at Aintree from the Independent’s Sam Turner, and check out our free betting newsletter for the latest from the Grand National Festival. Sign up here.
Day 1: Thursday, 3 April
1.45
Sam Turner’s tips:
Jango Baie – 2 points win @ 5/2
Gidleigh Park – 1 point win @ 11/2
Jango Baie pulled off one of the unlikeliest victories in the Arkle Chase seen for years when overhauling his four rivals in the dying strides to snatch a dramatic success.
This step up in trip should really play to his strengths and he has a major chance of following up providing he jumps with a little more fluency than he did at Cheltenham.
Gidleigh Park is reportedly a hard horse to keep right but the form of his Windsor win on easy ground took a handsome boost at the Festival when runner-up Caldwell Potter bolted up and the selection looks like another to relish the return to today’s trip.
2.20
Sam Turner’s tips:
Puturhandstogether – 1 pt win @ 2/1
Filibustering – 1/2 pt ew @ 16/1
Winners of the Fred Winter Juvenile Hurdle at Cheltenham are 0-5 in this event when attempting to follow up, but such was the manner of the gelding’s victory in that fiercely contested handicap, that he could still take all the beating upped in class here.
Wendrock was sixth despite not jumping either of the last two hurdles particularly cleanly so could finish a lot closer this time round, while Filibustering is worth a small each-way play with betting sites after impressing on his Kelso debut over hurdles.
He reached a good level on the level and was very much at home on a flat, galloping track so Aintree should suit him.
2.55
Sam Turner’s tips:
Grey Dawning – 2 pts win @ 9/4
Connections of Grey Dawning have campaigned their grey son of Flemensfirth with this race in mind all season, so he narrowly gains the nod ahead of Spillane’s Tower and Stage Star.
A recent Kelso defeat of Iroko reads pretty well and conditions should be to the liking of the eight-year-old who appeared to get stuck in the mud in the Betfair Chase in his comeback last November.
3.30
Sam Turner’s tips:
Constitution Hill – 2 pts win @ 5/6
Take No Chances – 1 pt win @ 13/2 in the betting markets without Constitution Hill and Lossiemouth
What to make of a horse like Constitution Hill? Brilliant on his day but, as we have seen in recent times, prone to the most calamitous blunder.
The selection has reportedly undergone extensive schooling since his Cheltenham mistake and, although he has hasn’t reached the heights of his 2023 Champion Hurdle success, the 2023 winner of this race did run out a comfortable winner at the expense of Lossiemouth when securing a third Christmas Hurdle success on his return, despite needing the run and is fancied to bounce back.
The betting markets without the front two in the market are interesting with Wodhooh an understandably warm favourite following her Cheltenham win.
However, Take No Chances finished off powerfully to take third from an uncompromising position in the race won by Lossiemouth and will probably be more conservatively ridden than Wodhooh so makes some appeal at 13/2 without the front two in the market.
4.05
Sam Turner’s tips:
My Drogo – 1 pt win @11/2
Milan Forth – 1/2 pt ew @ 14/1 (5 places)
Not a race for the feint hearted this, but My Drogo was very well regarded in a former life with Dan Skelton – won a Grade 1 hurdle here four years ago – and remains of interest now he appears in good heart in this sphere.
The presence of Will Biddick is another plus, and the selection should relish conditions.
Milan Forth made a pleasing debut for Adrian Murray at Down Royal, travelling powerfully and jumping well before putting the race to bed. He looks the right type for a race of this nature and is worth supporting using the betting apps with five places on offer.
4.40
Sam Turner’s tips:
My Mate Mozzie – 1pt ew @ 11/2 – four places
Calico – 1/2pt ew @ 11-1 – four places
Cheekpieces could be the key to My Mate Mozzie producing his best and the expected strong gallop and good ground look ideal for him to deliver another big performance in a hot handicap.
Calico is another well suited by spring conditions and it is worth remembering he was on the verge of chasing home Jonbon here two years ago only to tip up at the final fence. He posted a career best at Cheltenham in October on good ground and is another sure to relish an end-to-end gallop.
5.15
Sam Turner’s tips:
Jackie Hobbs – 1/2pt ew @ 15/2
Oldschool Outlaw – 1/2pt ew @ 25/1
Jackie Hobbs has been targeted at this event since scoring on her bumper debut at Ludlow and she did little at Ascot to dissuade the view that she should give another good account here. Her recent homework has been very encouraging.
Oldschool Outlaw is a rather more left-field selection, but she was only overhauled late on at Leopardstown last month on her under rules debut and displayed a terrific attitude that day so is worth a small each-way play with betting sites offering four places or more.
