The Nash. The people’s race. The world’s most famous steeplechase. Jump racing’s big week in Merseyside is here, and here are my Aintree Grand National 2025 Day 1 Tips.
With good ground scheduled and a few interesting handicaps under the microscope, I’m looking forward to this week’s action.
The column has been out of form since Cheltenham, but I thought there was an element of luck against us on Saturday. Yes, I’m looking at you, Iberian.
He would have won if he had kept straight, but that’s racing. We move, and we move onto Aintree. Let’s roll.
Aintree Grand National 2025 Day 1 Tips
Grade 1 EBC Group Manifesto Novices’ Chase (1:45, Thursday) – Jango Baie @ 5/2 with William Hill – 2pt Win
It comes as no surprise that Jango Baie is my pick in the Manifesto Novices’ Chase.
Without trying to pat myself on the back too heavily, he was my horse to follow this season, though his season path went a different way from what I was expecting.
I thought he would be a Grade 1 winner this season, but I had him as a Brown Advisory horse rather than an Arkle type at the start of this campaign.
Still, he was good in the Arkle, even if he was taken off his feet in the early stages. His jumping was put under pressure at that speed, which I didn’t expect, so I envisage a better round of jumping with this return to 2m4f.
He’s likely to enjoy the ground more than a few of his market rivals, notably Impaire Et Passe. He won the Grade 2 Select Hurdle on good, but some of his better performances have arguably come on softer ground.
He’s a pretty honest horse who has good form ahead of Caldwell Potter, Majborough, and Springwell Bay, and he finished behind Handstands on undesirable ground in the Scilly Isles, which doesn’t look too bad.
He’s the one, as long as Cheltenham hasn’t left its mark.
Grade 1 Brooklands Golden Miller Chronograph Bowl Chase (2:55, Thursday) – Ahoy Senor @ 13/2 with William Hill (3 places) – 1pt EW
Although he is becoming the ‘wise guys’ horse in the Bowl, Ahoy Senor is my each-way selection.
His Aintree record is well documented: two wins, two seconds, and two thirds from six outings.
His only win over fences came on nice ground in the 2022 Grade 1 Mildmay Novices’ Chase having run at Cheltenham the month previous, so him running in the Gold Cup 20 days earlier isn’t a problem.
Speaking of that Gold Cup run, he was lobbing in front. He put in a sketchy jump here and there, which is what he does, but he was enjoying his time in front on the nicer surface.
As for his seconds at Aintree, he chased home Gerri Colombe in this race last year on soft ground when ahead of Corbetts Cross, Shishkin, and Gentlemansgame, and he also chased home Shishkin in the 2023 renewal.
On his opponents, Grey Dawning has a solid chance. I still have a small worry around fast ground, but his run at Kelso showed he is capable of running well in nicer conditions.
Spillane’s Tower has more of a ground concern, Stage Star isn’t his best around Aintree (and his best form comes on soft), Paul Townend picking Embassy Gardens ahead of Gaelic Warrior was enough to turn me away from the Rich Ricci-owned seven-year-old, Djelo wouldn’t mind a bit of cut, and The Real Whacker is a dude.
I wouldn’t write off The Real Whacker on this ground at all, but Ahoy Senor’s Aintree record noses him ahead, so he gets my vote.
Randox Foxhunters’ Open Hunters’ Chase (4:05, Thursday) – Willitgoahead @ 4/1 with William Hill – 1pt Win
He’s well found in the market, but I want to keep Willitgoahead on side in the Foxhunters’.
His run at Cheltenham suggested dropping slightly back in trip on a flatter track should suit, and these are the conditions he is getting on Thursday.
Lifetime Ambition has a good chance based on his form with Its On The Line, but when you consider that Willitgoahead beat the former-Jessica Harrington-trained 10-year-old at Tinahely by 13 lengths in November, you have to stick with that piece of form.
He’s got the younger legs on a few in here and is guaranteed to like the good ground conditions.
His strong travelling nature at Cheltenham was impressive, and the front three pulled well-clear of the rest of the field.
4/1 is on the tight side, but it’s well-deserved.
Close Brothers Red Rum Handicap Chase (4:40, Aintree) – Petit Tonnerre @ 17/2 with William Hill (4 places) – 1pt EW
The Jonjo & AJ O’Neill-trained Petit Tonnerre still looks well-weighted to go well, and conditions have fallen in his favour in the Red Rum Handicap Chase.
He won at Doncaster on good ground two starts ago off a mark of 125; he was well on top at the finish that day under a cool Richie McLernon ride.
During the first half of the season, the cheekpieces were left off him, even when he finished second to Imperial Saint at Aintree in October on his seasonal reappearance. Imperial Saint improved 20lbs since that win.
When the cheekpieces returned, he won at Doncaster and was going well at the start of March at Doncaster again before being brought down.
The only other time he wore cheekpieces came in last year’s Scottish Champion Hurdle on soft ground off a mark of 132. Cracking Rhapsody (3rd), L’Eau Du Sud (5th), and Rubaud (6th) have all franked the form of that race subsequently.
On good ground, he can still go well off a mark of 130, and let’s not forget that he beat Heart Wood in a three-year-old hurdle in France.
To my eye, there aren’t too many well-handicapped horses in this field. Tommy’s Oscar and Calico made it onto the shortlist, and San Bruit also did, but the ground is a worry for the latter.
