Aintree Festival (Day One) Preview - 03/04/25
- JN Value Betting
- Apr 2
- 5 min read
BEST BETS:
CROKE PARK - 13:45 (MANIFESTO NOVICES' CHASE) - 4/1 (WILLIAM HILL) - 0.5PTS WIN
PUTURHANDSTOGETHER - 14:20 (ANNIVERSARY JUVENILE HURDLE) - 7/4 (CORAL) - 1PT WIN
SANS BRUIT - 16:40 (RED RUM HANDICAP CHASE) - 13/2 (PADDY POWER) - 0.5PTS E/W (4 PLACES)
Aintree's Grand National Festival gets underway on Thursday with a good card of racing, just 48 hours prior to the big race. Following the release of the weights for the Grand National, Inothewayurthikin was installed as the bookies favourite. However, following his Cheltenham Gold Cup success, Gavin Cromwell ruled the seven year-old out of the Aintree showpiece. Another of Cromwell's runners, Stumptown currently heads the market alongside J P McManus runners Iroko, and last year's winner I Am Maximus.
Thursday's action kicks off with the Manifesto Novices' Chase where we currently have joint favourites at the head of the market with Arkle winner Jango Baie and Impaire Et Passe vying it out for favouritism. The latter was a winner on this card last year, getting the upper hand of Bob Olinger & Langer Dan in a tight finish in the Aintree Hurdle. I feel that the form of the Arkle is hard to size up, with four of the five runners having a major chance as they jumped the last. Jango Baie came from the clouds to snatch victory in the dying strides, and whilst the step up in trip looks sure to suit on that evidence, I am happy to oppose him here. Although it was a quiet Cheltenham Festival for trainer Gordon Elliott, he did register a win in the final race of the meeting, and I am going to back one of his runners in this one. CROKE PARK bypassed Cheltenham to come straight here, and I feel that he represents the best value in the lineup. He got the better of the aforementioned Impaire Et Passe by five and a half lengths last time out, and has a pair of Grade 1 victories over fences this season. Whilst slower ground looks to be the most suitable for him, he does have form on Good ground this season, and Elliott is bullish about his chances over the larger obstacles.
CROKE PARK - 13:45 (MANIFESTO NOVICES' CHASE) - 4/1 (WILLIAM HILL) - 0.5PTS WIN
The second race of the day is the Anniversary Juvenile Hurdle, where the major news is the absence of Triumph Hurdle runner-up Lulamba. Nicky Henderson has opted to send him to the 2m 4f Novice Hurdle on Saturday, much to the dismay of antepost punters. Despite the Triumph Hurdle usually being a key to this race, only two of the thirteen runner field appeared in the race this season, with Willy De Houelle finishing eleventh and the Tom Lacey trained Gibbs Island being pulled up. I was surprised to see the 7/4 available on Fred Winter winner PUTURHANDSTOGETHER, Joseph O'Brien's inmate waltzed to a six length victory in that contest, and brings the best juvenile form to the table in this, with the absence of Lulamba, Hello Neighbour and Lady Vega Allen. He looked to be a graded performer in a handicap at Cheltenham, and is top on ratings for this contest, I can see the 7/4 soon being snapped up and him going off at a much shorter price.
Live Conti for Dan and Harry Skelton heads the challengers in the market, while Joseph O'Brien also trains the third favourite in Naturally Nimble. The substance of the form for each of the other runners in the field leaves a lot to be desired, and I am happy to take the price on the favourite, with him being the clear pick on form.
PUTURHANDSTOGETHER - 14:20 (ANNIVERSARY JUVENILE HURDLE) - 7/4 (CORAL) - 1PT WIN
The third of the four Grade 1s to kick off the festival is the Aintree Bowl over 3m 1f, where Grey Dawning for Dan & Harry Skelton is the market leader, ahead of Spillane's Tower. Both are Grade 1 winning chasers as novices, and are sure to be of warm order in a field that has plenty of conundrums. Ahoy Senor boasts form figures of 113223 at Aintree, but has proved expensive to follow in recent races. Although, he was running a mighty race before coming down in the Cheltenham Gold Cup. Stage Star was a Grade 1 winner in 2023 as a novice, and he could slip the field if allowed to get into a good rhythm over the fences. Whilst the enigmatic Gaelic Warrior has been out of sorts this season. Despite the worries around Spillane's Tower's travel issues when finishing fifth in the King George at Kempton, I can see him being the most likely winner here. The King George fell apart due to the frantic pace set by Il Est Francais, and it was hard to get into that one, and the form of his John Durkan run splitting Fact To File and Galopin Des Champs rates as the best in this field.
The heavyweight showdown on day one comes in the Aintree Hurdle where Constitution Hill and Lossiemouth renewal their battle over the extended 2m 4f. Constitution Hill got the upper hand of the pair over Christmas at Kempton, and went off a short price to regain his Champion Hurdle crown at Cheltenham before falling at the the fifth hurdle. He will likely go off the favourite here, and will look to win this race for a second time, having done so in 2023. That was his one and only attempt at this trip, but wasn't facing the calibre of opponent that Lossiemouth poses. She successfully returned from a fall in the Irish Champion Hurdle by retaining the Mares' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, and is unbeaten over 2m 4f. I am happy to bypass this from a betting proposition with Constitution Hill being the clear class of the field providing he gets over his fall last time out. However, he is a short price, against a very good horse over this distance.
Attention turns to the Grand National fences for the first time when the Foxhunters' Chase takes place. Willitgoahead tops the market following his third placed effort in the Cheltenham equivalent of this race. That is the clear pick of the form. This race does typically suit older horses given the uniqueness of the fences, and that could point to 2023 winner Famous Clermont, who was an easy winner of this contest on that occasion. 14 year-old Bennys King has been runner-up in this race the last two years, and despite his age looks to still have a chance of getting his hands on the prize.
A frantic 2m handicap chase is up next with fourteen set to go to post in the Red Rum Handicap Chase. There was a front running winner of the contest last year with the Paul Nicholls trained SANS BRUIT recording a four length success. He comes into this off the same mark as last year, and should they deploy the same tactics, he will take some pegging back. This looks to have been the plan this season, and I am happy to have an each-way play at the prices. My Mate Mozzie heads the betting following his fourth placed effort at Cheltenham last time out. However, he looks too heavily weighted, and is likely to find at least one too well handicapped. Henry De Bromhead has landed this race in two of the last five years, and he saddles The Folkes Tiara, who looks set to run a big race following his runner-up run behind An Peann Dearg at Leopardstown over Christmas.
SANS BRUIT - 16:40 (RED RUM HANDICAP CHASE) - 13/2 (PADDY POWER) - 0.5PTS E/W (4 PLACES)
Plenty of nice prospects contest the Nickel Coin Mares' bumper to close the card on the Thursday, with Irish challenger Seo Linn currently heading the betting following an easy success at Cheltenham in November. She has been off since that run, and despite the absence, looks set to be popular in the betting. The British challenge is headed by the Alan King trained Charisma Cat, from a stable that has won this contest twice in the past, and the unbeaten Jackie Hobbs for Harry Derham.
