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Grand National Festival 2024 Tips - April 11-13

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Aintree Tips on April 11th - Grand National Festival Day 1 Tips

jon-vine
Jon Vine
Editor
Last updated: Wed 10 Apr 2024 13:10
This content offers comprehensive horse racing tips for the Grand National Festival taking place at Aintree on Thursday, 11th April. It features valuable tips for each major race taking place on the day. Top suggestions include 'Honky Tonk Highway' in the 5:15pm Aintree, 'Intellotto E/W' in the 2:20pm Aintree, 'Bythesametoken E/W' in the 4:40pm Aintree, and 'Cat Tiger E/W' in the 4:05pm Aintree.
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jon-vine
Jon Vine 10 Apr 2024
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  • Free tips on day one of the Grand National Festival
  • Four Grade One races will be run at Aintree on Thursday 11th April
  • Cat Tiger, Bythesametoken and Honky Tonk Highway feature in our day one tips
Expired
aintree april
The Grand National Festival at Aintree. (Getty)
    Day 1 Tips
  • Aintree Tips - Thursday 11th April
  • 1:45pm Aintree - Manifesto Novices' Chase Tips
  • 2:20pm Aintree - 4-Y-O Juvenile Hurdle Tips
  • 2:55pm Aintree - Aintree Bowl Tips
  • 3:30pm Aintree - Aintree Hurdle Tips
  • 4:05pm Aintree - Foxhunters' Chase Tips
  • 4:40pm Aintree - Red Rum Handicap Chase Tips
  • 5:15pm Aintree - Nickel Coin Mares' Flat Race Tips

Free tips for Aintree on Thursday, as the 2024 Grand National Festival gets underway.

Before the rain arrived, this year's Grand National meeting was looking even more exciting than Cheltenham was this year. Sadly, the testing ground has resulted in the final fields for many races being smaller than expected and there are several I want to keep well away from.

Here are my best betting tips for Thursday's card at Aintree.

Aintree Tips - Thursday 11th April


1:45pm Aintree - Manifesto Novices' Chase Tips


No bet for me in Thursday's opener. I did toy with the idea of Colonel Harry, who has winning form on heavy ground. Although he wasn't at his best in the Turners, Jamie Snowden's novice does have 17 lengths to find on Grey Dawning and Ginny's Destiny from that outing at Cheltenham and there's no scope for an each-way bet with just five runners in the field.

2:20pm Aintree - 4-Y-O Juvenile Hurdle Tips


It's still too early to say whether Nicky Henderson's horses are in better health now than they were last month, so I don't fancy backing Sir Gino at odds-on. Kargese had a hard enough race in the Triumph Hurdle and Kalif Du Berlais still looked extremely raw when winning at Kempton.

Joseph O'Brien's pair are interesting. Nurburgring stayed on from a horrible position to finish fourth in the Triumph Hurdle. JJ Slevin, who took the ride that day, seems to have opted for INTELLOTTO (14/1), presumably because of his heavy ground form.

Intellotto hacked up on heavy ground when making a winning hurdles debut at Leopardstown, and made all on similarly treacherous going to score at Limerick last month. Slevin's mount finished seventh behind Kargese in the Spring Juvenile, where he attempted to make the running and was swallowed up by the field. I expect Intellotto to be ridden prominently again and there's a chance he could give the field the slip if they can't cope with the conditions. Even with just two paid places to play for, an each-way bet is advised.

2:55pm Aintree - Aintree Bowl Tips



If you plan on watching any of Thursday's races live via a mobile or tablet, then check out our Aintree Bowl Live Stream page.

3:30pm Aintree - Aintree Hurdle Tips


We've also published a stand-alone guide to the 2024 Aintree Hurdle, where two Irish horses dominate the betting.

Visit our Aintree Hurdle Live Stream page if you plan on watching Thursday's final Grade One via a mobile device.

latenightpass aintree
Latenightpass (left) beats Cat Tiger (right) in the 2022 Foxhunters at Aintree. (Getty)

4:05pm Aintree - Foxhunters' Chase Tips


We get our first look at the Grand National course now, where even 2m5f will take some getting on bottomless ground. There are two I fancy backing at lengthy prices, starting with CAT TIGER (33/1), who finished third in the 2021 renewal of this race and second to Latenightpass the following year.

David Maxwell's mount was pulled up at Cheltenham last season, forcing connections to skip Aintree. Cat Tiger ran with credit twice in France during the winter, and although his two runs in Britain since then haven't been great, everything has been geared towards his return to Aintree.

GRAND ROI (100/1) was a Grade Two winner during his heyday for Gordon Elliott, with most of his best performances coming on heavy ground. Since linking up with James Owen, Grand Roi has finished second in a point-to-point, and runner-up to Secret Investor and Forest Chimes in his first two starts in hunter chases. 

Tommie O'Brien's mount jumped poorly when pulled up at Exeter last month, but if he takes to the Grand National course, Grand Roi could run better than his odds would suggest.

4:40pm Aintree - Red Rum Handicap Chase Tips


Ireland is well-represented in this handicap chase, and I fancy a punt on the least fancied of the raiders, BYTHESAMETOKEN (16/1). Ross O'Sullivan's ten-year-old has been in good form in Ireland this season, winning at Killarney in October, before solid efforts at Down Royal and Naas on his last two starts.

O'Sullivan's grey is no stranger to travelling. Bythesametoken went close in handicap hurdles at Ayr and Kelso last spring and finished second to Netywell - now rated 21 pounds higher - off this mark on heavy ground at Haydock in December. With a featherweight of just 10-2 on his back, I could see Robbie Dunne's mount making the frame.

5:15pm Aintree - Nickel Coin Mares' Flat Race Tips


Class often comes to the fore in this mares bumper and everything seems in favour of HONKY TONK HIGHWAY (5/1). Dan Skelton's mare got the better of rival Diva Luna in a heavy ground point-to-point in October, and was snapped up by owner Gary Wilson for £165k at the Cheltenham sales the following month.

Honky Tonk Highway was a little weak in the betting before her rules debut at Sandown last month. Harry Skelton's mare weaved her way to the front and seemed to take a false step two furlongs from home. The favourite regathered her composure and forged clear of Rula Bula in the closing stages to land Listed honours.

Skelton's five-year-old looks like a staying chaser in the making and I'm hoping Honky Tonk Highway will again relish testing conditions in Thursday's card-closer.

Verdict

Grand National Festival Day 1 Tips:

Best Bet1: Honky Tonk Highway 5:15pm Aintree @5/1 at BOYLE Sports - 10 Units
Best Bet2: Intellotto E/W 2:20pm Aintree @14/1 at bet365 - 5 Units
Best Bet3: Bythesametoken E/W 4:40pm Aintree @16/1 at QuinnBet - 5 Units
Best Bet4: Cat Tiger E/W 4:05pm Aintree @33/1 at bet365 - 5 Units
Honky Tonk Highway
5:15pm Aintree
@5/1 - 10 Units
Bet £10 Get £40
in free bets

18+. New UK customers (Excluding NI) only. Min Deposit £10. Min stake £10. Min odds Evs. Free bet applied on 1st settlement of any qualifying bet. 30 days to qualify. Free bets expire in 7 days. Cashed out/Free Bets won’t apply. Account & Payment method restrictions apply. 1 Free Bet offer per customer, household & IP Address only. 18+. T&Cs apply.

Bet at BOYLE Sports
Intellotto E/W
2:20pm Aintree
@14/1 - 5 Units
Bet £10 Get £30
with bonus code NEWBONUS

Available to new customers only. Make a qualifying deposit of £5 or more and claim the offer within 30 days of registering your account to qualify for 300% of that amount in Bet Credits, up to a maximum of £30 in Bet Credits. Once released, your Bet Credits will be held in your account balance and are non-withdrawable. Min deposit requirement. Free Bets are paid as Bet Credits and are available for use upon settlement of qualifying bets. Min odds, bet and payment method exclusions apply. Returns exclude Bet Credits stake. Registration required. Time limits and T&Cs apply. The bonus code NEWBONUS can be used during registration but does not change the offer amount in any way. #ad

Bet at bet365
Bythesametoken E/W
4:40pm Aintree
@16/1 - 5 Units
50% back up to £25
Racing Specialists

18+ New UK Customers Only. Bet £10+ on any sportsbook markets at odds of evens (2.00) or greater. No cash out. Get 50% back of your first day’s losses (from first bet settlement until 23:59) as a Free Bet up to £25, valid for 7 days. Min. 3 bets on different events required, with 2 bets being at least 50% of your largest stake. Place at least 1 bet of £10+ at odds 2.00+ to receive a £5 Free Bet even if your account is up or losses are under £5. T&Cs Apply. GambleAware.org

Bet at QuinnBet
Cat Tiger E/W
4:05pm Aintree
@33/1 - 5 Units
Bet £10 Get £30
with bonus code NEWBONUS

Available to new customers only. Make a qualifying deposit of £5 or more and claim the offer within 30 days of registering your account to qualify for 300% of that amount in Bet Credits, up to a maximum of £30 in Bet Credits. Once released, your Bet Credits will be held in your account balance and are non-withdrawable. Min deposit requirement. Free Bets are paid as Bet Credits and are available for use upon settlement of qualifying bets. Min odds, bet and payment method exclusions apply. Returns exclude Bet Credits stake. Registration required. Time limits and T&Cs apply. The bonus code NEWBONUS can be used during registration but does not change the offer amount in any way. #ad

Bet at bet365

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