Aintree Grand National Festival Day 1
The Grand National Festival kicks-off at Aintree on Thursday with a cracking 3 days of quality racing building up to one of the most watched races in the world The Grand National.
Day 1 at Aintree see national hunt superstar Constitution Hill looking to put in another incredible performance in the Aintree Hurdle after he romped home in the Champion Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.
That race is just 1 of 4 Grade 1s on the card on day one of the Grand Natonal Festival with race of the day looking like the Aintree Bowl. It is a top class field that includes Shishkin, Gold Cup 2nd Bravemansgame and 2022 Gold Cup winner A Plus Tard.
We will have tips for every race at the Grand National Festival including ours best bets for the Grand National on Saturday. We kick-off the first day with a 200/1 Lucky 15 including some of our best tips for the day.
Stage Star will likely be popular for this following his convincing win in the Turners at Cheltenham last month but he had a hard race that day and this is coming soon enough. I much prefer BANBRIDGE who arrives here fresher than most and was last seen chasing home El Fabiolo at the Dublin Racing Festival. That horse has since franked the form winning the Arkle so impressively and stepping back up to 2 and a half miles looks the key to him.
Saint Roi unseated in the Irish Arkle but it was too early to tell how well he was going. He got back to form chasing home El Fabiolo and Jonbon at Cheltenham and if Stage Star does disappoint it wouldn’t be a huge surprise to see him emerge as the main danger. He will be ridden quietly again and will be hoping they go off too hard. Visionarian is held by the latter and Straw Fan Jack just didn’t jump well enough at the Festival last month so has it all to do.
The rain that is expected will likely take some of the shine off this renewal with a few of these not likely to be at their best on it. ZENTA looks the right favourite after a cracking run behind Lossiemouth to finish 3rd in the Triumph at Cheltenham. She won on really soft ground in France so that won’t be an issue for her and still likely has so much more to come. She gets weight from plenty of these being a filly and has to be the one to beat.
Nusret was one I was waiting to run again after a decent win in the Adonis at Kempton. I would be a lot keener on him if the ground wasn’t looking like being on the softer side as I feel he is at his best on better ground but still rates the main dangers. The Irish juveniles just seem to be well ahead of the British. The best of the British will likely be Bo Zenith if stepping forward on is last run and Scriptwriter who I think can bounce back after a poor run last time.
I did think Clan Des Obeaux was going to take a bit of beating in his hat-trick attempt but he sadly suffered a setback and Paul Nicholls decided to retire him. The yard still have the fav in Bravemansgame but I’m not sure this track suits him. He had a really hard race in the Gold Cup too and I wouldn’t want to take a short price. I like A PLUS TARD who was still going well enough at Cheltenham before being hampered by the fall of Ahoy Senor and the yard remain bullish about his chances here.
Shishkin ran a stinker last month despite running on for second but his jumping would have to be a concern following that and again this is coming soon enough to be taking a chance at just 3/1. He shapes as though this trip will be ideal now but whether he’ll show enthusiasm early is anyones guess. Ahoy Senor may be the danger as he was still going strongly when coming down in the Gold Cup and we know he loves this track so don’t underestimate him.
Despite quite a few trends pointing to other horses it is impossible to oppose CONSTITUTION HILL stepping up in trip. He won the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham with ease and has so many options for next season. Stepping him up to this trip does seem logical to see how well he stays. He could be even better which is frightening considering he is already rated 175. I can’t see any of these getting near him.
With regards a bet in the race I think last years winner EPATANTE in the without Constitution Hill market is likely the bet. She didn’t go well in the Mare’s Hurdle where she was squeezed for room at a key stage and tailed off. She will likely be a lot better in this field and should fair best of the rest. Zanahiyr ran on really well for third in the Champion Hurdle but it is hard to be confident on him running well again as that looked a tough race. Sharjah might prove the best of the rest and could easily run a place at his best after a good run in a handicap at Cheltenham last time.
I am going to stick with last years winner LATENIGHTPASS here. He stayed on strongly to edge out Cat Tiger 12 months ago and hasn’t been seen since. If you look at his overall record the key to him is clearly running fresh having won at Warwick following a 642 day absence a couple of years ago and then winning this last year. He has only had a handful of starts and looks set for another big run. He likes to be up on the pace and handy and that could be a big positive around the National Course with a few of these prone to errors.
The danger is the likeable Winged Leader who was agonisingly edged out by Billaway at Cheltenham last year and has completed a hat-trick between the flags since. I am almost certain he will give his running but he is currently favourite for this and I just think he might be susceptible to a stronger stayer away from the elbow and the selection fits the bill. Fier Jaguen is the one being backed and he was only headed in the final strides when last seen at Chepstow and could still be open to improvement.
This looks like a cracking renewal with last years 1st and 2nd turning up again but this looks like the perfect race for DOUGLAS TALKING who comes here on a hat-trick after two easy wins over fences. He is up 10lbs for his last win (won by 13 lengths) and is still off a nice weight here and he has to go close.
Dan Skelton’s horses in handicaps you always have to take note of and Third Time Lucki will go well after a good run in the Grand Annual which is usually a good pointer for this race. The Last Day and Dancing On My Own were first and second last year but don’t appear to be in the same form. The main danger could well be Pay The Piper who has improved on his last two runs and will go well again.
Somehow Paul Nicholls has never won this race but it is often won by a nice type and Mullins was successful last year with Ashroe Diamond. It is hard to gauge who has the most potential as this stage but I have been impressed with SEEYOUINMYDREAMS so far and she might be able to remain unbeaten here. She was snapped up by connections after winning an Irish point and then made a successful start in a bumper at Newbury 6 weeks ago. She went forward and made all and clearly has a decent engine. It is hardly surprising to see her at the top of the betting and I’m keen to side with her.
Obviously likely to be a few dangers in here given it looks a strong renewal and perhaps headed by Dysart Enos who was runner-up in an Irish point but has gone 2-2 in bumpers and beat the well regarded Queens Gamble at Market Rasen a couple of months ago. She is open to further improvement and should get competitive. July Flower looked promising in France and has since joined Henry de Bromhead so is another one to watch closely in the betting as it will likely prove informative nearer post time.
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