Aintree Tips on April 3rd - Grand National Festival Day 1 Tips
The 2025 Grand National Festival at Aintree kicks off with notable Grade One races, including the Manifesto Novices' Chase and the Anniversary 4-Y-O Juvenile Hurdle. Tips suggest Croke Park and Gibbs Island as potential winners in the first two events, while the Red Rum Handicap Chase sees The Folkes Tiara highly favored. The Foxhunter Chase presents Yccs Portocervo as an outsider with great odds, and La Conquiere emerges as an intriguing contender in the Mares' Flat Race. Expect exciting action across the diverse race card.
- Free tips on day one of the 2025 Grand National Festival
- This famous meeting begins at Aintree on Thursday 3rd April
- Croke Park, Gibbs Island and The Folkes Tiara feature in our day one tips
- Grand National Festival 2025 Day 1 Card
- 1:45pm Aintree - Manifesto Novices' Chase Tips
- 2:20pm Aintree - Anniversary 4-Y-O Juvenile Hurdle Tips
- 2:55pm Aintree - Aintree Bowl Tips
- 3:30pm Aintree - Aintree Hurdle Tips
- 4:05pm Aintree - Foxhunter Chase Tips
- 4:40pm Aintree - Red Rum Handicap Chase Tips
- 5:15pm Aintree - Nickel Coin Mares' Flat Race Tips
Thursday's Tips at Aintree
The 2025 Grand National Festival begins with an excellent card at Aintree on Thursday. Our action opens with four fantastic Grade One races, before viewers enjoy a Hunter Chase, the Red Rum handicap and a Grade Two bumper for mares.
Here are our free tips through the card on the opening day of the Grand National Festival at Aintree.
Grand National Festival 2025 Day 1 Card
Grand National Festival 2025 Day 1 Tips
1:45pm Aintree - Manifesto Novices' Chase Tips
One of the trickiest aspects of Aintree is whether to trust the Cheltenham form or not. Plenty of horses have performed well at both meetings, but often, horses who run at the Cheltenham Festival are over the top by the time Aintree arrives, and invariably underperform.
Jango Baie snatched victory from the jaws of defeat in the Arkle at Cheltenham. Nicky Henderson's star was under the pump from a long way out that day and while he responded admirably, Jango Baie had a hard race and has only had three weeks to recover.
Nico De Boinville's mount faces two Irish Grade One winners who skipped Cheltenham. CROKE PARK (7/2) put Impaire Et Passe in his place when they met at the Dublin Racing Festival and I fancy he's been underestimated again in the market.
Gordon Elliott's star has done nothing wrong over fences. Croke Park won on his chasing debut, won the Drinmore at Fairyhouse and went on to beat Better Days Ahead at Leopardstown over Christmas. He and Ballyburn saw off Impaire Et Passe rounding the final bend at Leopardstown and Croke Park even jumped the last with a slender lead, before Ballyburn's three-mile stamina kicked in on the run to the line.
That form wasn't exactly enhanced at Cheltenham, but Better Days Ahead and Heart Wood boosted Croke Park's Grade One wins with solid performances in top races. Sam Ewing keeps his place in the saddle and ground conditions should be ideal for Elliott's raider. He can add a third Grade One to his collection in Thursday's opener.
2:20pm Aintree - Anniversary 4-Y-O Juvenile Hurdle Tips
Puturhandstogether won the Fred Winter in the manner of a Graded horse and I could see Joseph O'Brien's gelding following up on Thursday. Even without Lulamba in the field, there's plenty of depth in this Grade One, with Naturally Nimble and Mambonumberfive bringing Graded form to the table and the untapped potential of Live Conti.
I'm going to give another chance to GIBBS ISLAND (20/1) who made a lasting impression when winning the Victor Ludorum at Haydock in February. Tom Lacey's charge beat his elders on his hurdling debut at Sedgefield and travelled all over his fellow four-year-olds in that valuable conditions race at Haydock, kicking six lengths clear of Give It To Me Oj after another excellent jump at the last.
Stan Sheppard's mount was too keen in the Triumph Hurdle at Cheltenham, and gradually lost his position as the pace gathered before being pulled up between the final two flights. This flatter track should suit Gibbs Island much better and Lacey has added a first-time hood for his second Festival assignment.
2:55pm Aintree - Aintree Bowl Tips
Read our complete guide to the 2025 Aintree Bowl to find out who we fancy in the big Grade One chase on Thursday's card.
Visit our Aintree Bowl Live Stream page if you want to watch this race via a mobile or tablet.
3:30pm Aintree - Aintree Hurdle Tips
Read free our Aintree Hurdle guide to see whether we're with or against Constitution Hill in Thursday's main event at Aintree.
If you want to watch any race on Thursday via a mobile device, then head to our Aintree Hurdle Live Stream page.
4:05pm Aintree - Foxhunter Chase Tips
I usually have a small bet on one of the outsiders in the Hunter Chase at Aintree and this year's I've landed on YCCS PORTOCERVO (80/1). This dashing grey has won plenty of times over fences for Dr Richard Newland, and picked up two hunter chases in the spring of last year before a surprise victory in the Summer Plate Trial at Market Rasen in June.
Yccs Portocervo has experience around the Grand National course, having finished a distant sixth in the 2023 Grand Sefton, where the heavy ground took it's toll in the closing stages. Dr Newland's ten-year-old was pulled up on his prep-run at Leicester, but has bounced back from similar performances in the past and ground conditions should suit him well.
4:40pm Aintree - Red Rum Handicap Chase Tips
Henry De Bromhead has won this with Moon Over Germany and Dancing On My Own in recent seasons, and he seems to have laid THE FOLKES TIARA (7/1) out for a tilt at the Red Rum.
Rachael Blackmore's mount won a Listed Handicap Chase at Fairyhouse in November, and was last seen going down by a short head at Leopardstown on Boxing Day. The Folkes Tiara split An Peann Dearg and The King Of Prs in a thrilling finish that day, and both went on to land big pots on their next starts.
Good ground has always been crucial for The Folkes Tiara and the British handicapper has only upped his Irish mark by three pounds. His seasonal form has worked out very well indeed.
5:15pm Aintree - Nickel Coin Mares' Flat Race Tips
Plenty hold chances in this wide-open Grade Two. At a price, I thought LA CONQUIERE (28/1) was interesting on her first start for Jamie Snowden.
On her sole start for Denis Leahy in Ireland, La Conquiere was sent off at 80/1 for a bumper at Thurles before Christmas. Having initially been held up, Leahy's newcomer made smooth progress into contention around the outside of the field and finished her race strongly, eventually losing out by half-a-length to odds-on favourite Blue Velvet for Willie and Patrick Mullins.
Blue Velvet was then well beaten in the Grade Two at the Dublin Racing Festival, but third-placed Derryville has since finished second to Bambino Fever - who won that Grade Two at Leopardstown before scoring in the Champion Bumper. La Conquiere shaped with plenty of promise at Thurles and she joins Jamie Snowden at a time when his stable is in red-hot form.
I'd also give a shout-out to Queen Kate, who showed an excellent resolution to come through trouble and beat the geldings on debut at Doncaster 20 days ago. She could go well too at an even bigger price.
Verdict
Grand National Festival Day 1 Top Tips:
Croke Park
1:45pm Aintree
@7/2 - 5 Units
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The Folkes Tiara
4:40pm Aintree
@7/1 - 5 Units
Bet £10 Get £30
with bonus code NEWBONUS
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Gibbs Island E/W
2:20pm Aintree
@20/1 - 5 Units
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Use promo code NEWBONUS
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La Conquiere E/W
5:15pm Aintree
@28/1 - 5 Units
Bet £10 Get £10
with promo code NEWBONUS
Join betgoodwin with promo code NEWBONUS and get access to their Bet £10 Get £10 as a free ACCA welcome offer. 18+ only. T&Cs apply.
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