We’re getting closer to the world’s most famous steeplechase, but before then, we have some Aintree Grand National 2025 Day 2 tips to share.
Yesterday didn’t go well. Jango Baie was frustrating, but Ahoy Senor and Petit Tonnerre are off the backing list, and everything just happened a bit too quickly for Willitgoahead.
My hands are firmly in the air; we’re not in great form currently. We can only hope for change.
Aintree Grand National 2025 Day 2 Tips
Grade 1 Huyton Asphalt Franny Blennerhassett Memorial Mildmay Novices’ Chase (1:45, Friday) – Handstands @ 9/4 with William Hill – 1pt Win
In the Mildmay, Handstands ticks plenty of boxes and is fairly priced at 9/4.
He stays the trip, he should go on the surface having won his first run over hurdles on good ground, and he has some nice pieces of form in the book.
Although Jango Baie finished third in the Manifesto, he still ran a cracker on the opening day of the Aintree Grand National Festival meeting and his win in the Arkle is a good form boost.
He has also beaten Resplendent Grey and Lord Of Thunder over fences so far this season, both of whom have gone on to frank the form.
The six-year-old also missed Cheltenham, which means he has the fresh angle against Caldwell Potter and Dancing City, so he gets the vote.
William Hill Handicap Hurdle (2:20, Friday) – Helnwein @ 12/1 with William Hill (5 places) – 1pt EW
Helnwein is returning from a stint over fences in the second race, and there’s plenty of form to suggest he can continue to improve off 127.
He won the Novices’ Championship Final Handicap Hurdle at Sandown in April on good ground, beating Be Aware, Steel Ally, Secret Squirrel, Act Of Authority, and Fiercely Proud.
Those horses have improved 13lbs, 13lbs, 7lbs, 10lbs, and 7lbs respectively, though Helnwein is running off just a 6lb higher mark.
He tried fences this season, and while he wasn’t bad, connections have opted to come back over the small obstacles.
Despite this yet, his maiden outing over fences at Warwick when second to Telepathique looks like a nice piece of form as she has improved 32lbs since to a mark of 148, and Helnwein had to give 10lbs away that day.
On his next start, he ran a fine race behind Vincenzo and The Famous Five, both of whom have also improved 12lbs and 5lbs, respectively.
He’s a horse who has form on nicer ground, and this will be his second start after a wind-op.
William Hill Handicap Hurdle (2:20, Friday) – Hansard @ 25/1 with William Hill (5 places) – 0.5pt EW
It’s double trouble in the 2m4f handicap hurdle for the Noel Fehily Syndicate horses as Hansard could be interesting at a nice price.
He’s dropped down to a mark of 141 and Freddie Mitchell claims 5lbs in the saddle, which effectively puts him on a 1lb higher mark than the official rating he was on when winning the Gerry Feilden last season.
He beat Bad (improved 20lbs since), Brentford Hope (improved 8lbs since), and Our Champ (improved 7lbs since), so the form of the race is nice.
His subsequent form with Luccia, Impose Toi, and Altobelli from the Betfair Exchange Trophy in December 2023 also looks very good, and he ran a fine race behind Golden Ace in the Grade 2 Kingwell Hurdle in February.
This new trip is interesting, and the cheekpieces that were put on for the first time in the County Hurdle are retained. The slightly slower nature of this 2m4f contest could help him, and he will appreciate this nicer ground.
Grade 1 Oddschecker Sefton Novices’ Hurdle (4:40, Friday) – Califet En Vol @ 4/1 with William Hill – 1pt Win
“We’ve kept Califet En Vol for this,” Nicky Henderson told the Racing Post, and I’m hopeful that he can reward his connections with a win in the Sefton.
If you’re one for trends, he has the correct profile. He’s the right age, he’s won at least twice over hurdles, he missed the Cheltenham Festival, and he’s trained by Nicky Henderson.
His form with The New Lion from Newbury looks very good, and he smashed up As Legends Have It, a nifty horse for Ben Pauling, on his hurdles debut at Kempton.
He needed every yard of the Sidney Banks at Huntingdon in February, so this step-up in trip should suit him, and he’ll relish the nicer ground.
He looks like a solid contender in the Sefton.
Hallgarten And Novum Wines Handicap Hurdle (5:15, Friday) – Celtic Dino @ 7/1 with Betfred (5 places) – 1pt EW
It’s a fairly obvious case, but Celtic Dino should run well in the finale.
He’s making his handicap debut off 132, and with Dylan Johnston’s handy 3lb claim, he looks like a well-handicapped horse who is getting run on good ground again.
He beat the subsequent 130-rated Ma Shantou on hurdles debut before beating Wade Out (rated 128) and Joyeuse (rated 142) at Ascot on good ground in February. He gave 7lbs away to Joyeuse that day, though Nicky Henderson’s mare was making her first start of the season.
The six-year-old by Doctor Dino ran a fine race in the Grade 1 Formby Novices’ Hurdle on soft ground behind Miami Magic and Potters Charm, though his effort at Kempton in the Grade 2 Dovecote Novices’ Hurdle was slightly below par.
Still, he arrives here on a workable mark on his first handicap start, and the better conditions at Aintree should really suit. He looks to be improving and can land a touch here for Sam Thomas.
