Aintree Tips on April 14th - Grand National Festival Day 2 Tips
- Free tips through the full card on day two of the 2023 Grand National Festival
- Four Grade One races will take place at Aintree on Friday 14th April
- Gerri Colombe, Strong Leader and Marble Sands feature among our tips
Friday's attendees at the Grand National Festival have an action-packed card to look forward to. Four more Grade One races headline Aintree's card, which also features two handicap hurdles and the thrilling Topham Handicap Chase run over the fearsome National course.
Here are our free racing tips on day two of the Grand National Festival.
Grand National Festival Day 2 Schedule
| Time | Track |
|---|---|
| 1:45pm | Air Charter Service Mildmay Novices' Chase (Grade 1) 3m1f |
| 2:20pm | William Hill Handicap Hurdle (Premier Handicap) 2m4f |
| 2:55pm | Poundland Top Novices' Hurdle (Grade 1) 2m½f |
| 3:30pm | Marsh Chase (Registered as the Melling Chase) (Grade 1) 2m4f |
| 4:05pm | Randox Supports Race Against Dementia Topham Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap) 2m5f |
| 4:40pm | Winners Wear Cavani Sefton Novices' Hurdle (Grade 1) 3m½f |
| 5:15pm | Abersoch Land And Sea Handicap Hurdle (Conditional Jockeys' And Amateur Riders' Race) 2m½f |
Grand National Festival Day 2 Tips
Race 1 - Mildmay Novices' Chase Tips
If GERRI COLOMBE (10/11) had jumped a little more fluently on his first spin around Cheltenham, Gordon Elliott's star would certainly have won the Brown Advisory. Having landed the last some five lengths adrift of The Real Whacker, the favourite clicked into top gear on the run to the line, losing out by just a short-head in the end.
Gerri Colombe proved that day that going left-handed wasn't a problem and Aintree is a much more straightforward track than Cheltenham. Bronn is respected, but there's no doubt in my mind that the best staying novice chaser in the sport finished second in the Brown Advisory and I expect Gerri Colombe to go one better in Friday's opener.
Race 2 - Handicap Hurdle Tips
The entire 22-horse field is separated by just a stone, making this race an incredibly difficult puzzle to solve. Two important form lines from the Cheltenham Festival will be drawn together too, as placers from both the Coral Cup and the Martin Pipe go toe-to-toe.
I'm going to back a couple at each-way prices, starting with FENNOR CROSS (10/1). John McConnell's six-year-old won twice at Cheltenham during the first half of the season, including an impressive victory in the Grade Two Sharps Novices' Hurdle.
Having skipped the worst of the winter weather, Fennor Cross made his return to action in the Supreme Novices' Hurdle, where McConnell's charge was outclassed behind the likes of Marine Nationale and Facile Vega. Fennor Cross should be much more comfortable back down in calmer waters and Ben Harvey's mount is completely unexposed in handicap company.
Down near the bottom of the betting we find the classy MARTELLO SKY (28/1), who'll be ridden by Rachael Blackmore. Lucy Wadham's star won a very competitive Mares' Handicap at Cheltenham off a mark of 140 last season, before following up in a Listed contest at Sandown.
Martello Sky hasn't managed to win this season, but she has run well enough to place behind talented sorts like Love Envoi and Epatante. Wadham's mare returns to handicap company running off a mark that's three pounds lower than her last winning rating, so I expect Martello Sky to run a competitive race.
Race 3 - Top Novices' Hurdle Tips
I'm a big fan of both Found A Fifty and Inthepocket, so I'm not surprised to see the Irish raiders sitting atop this betting heat. Luccia was only good enough for fourth in the Mares' Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham, but Nicky Henderson's mare is certainly classy enough to tackle the geldings at Grade One level.
While the top three garner a great deal of respect, this race has thrown up plenty of surprise winner down the years, so I'm happy to look further down the betting for an each-way alternative. The one I've landed on is STRONG LEADER (18/1), who's run of three successive victories earlier in the season included an impressive victory here at Aintree.
Olly Murphy's star was the first British finisher in the Supreme Novices' Hurdle. That's not really saying much, as Sean Bowen's mount was beaten 12 lengths back in ninth, but I thought it was a decent effort considering he was already being pushed along going into the third-last flight. Better ground on Friday will suit and Strong Leader certainly has the ability to mount a decent challenge.
Race 4 - Marsh Chase Tips
Read our full guide to the 2023 Marsh Chase to find out who we're backing in Friday's main event.
If you plan on watching any of Friday's races via a mobile or tablet, then check out our Marsh Chase Live Stream page.
Race 5 - Topham Chase Tips
Patrick Mullins won the Topham with his only previous ride in the race two years ago. This year, he'll partner BURROWS SAINT (11/1), who Mullins finished fourth aboard in the 2021 Grand National off a mark of 156.
Having unseated Paul Townend at the Chair 12 months ago, Willie Mullins decided not to go down the Grand National path with his former Irish National winner this season. Burrows Saint ran well on his prep-run for the Topham in March, finishing a close third behind Longhouse Poet at Down Royal and Patrick's mount should be a big player off his current mark of 152.
Despite that decreased rating, Burrows Saint will still have 11-9 to shoulder on Friday. Only three horses this century have carried more than 11-1 to victory in the Topham, so I'll be looking towards the bottom half of the weights for my second selection.
A horse I've always been fond of is DEMACHINE (20/1), who boasts an excellent record on the back of a break. Kerry Lee's nine-year-old was fairly well beaten on his three outings earlier in the season. Those defeats have helped Demachine drop back down to this lenient mark of 137 and this dependable jumper should relish the challenges posed by the Grand National course.
Race 6 - Sefton Novices' Hurdle Tips
Like the Top Novices' Hurdle earlier in the card, I'm inclined to side against the market leaders here. That's nothing against Cheltenham winners Stay Away Fay and Iroko, or Gordon Elliott's Absolute Notions. I've just seen too many shock winners at Aintree down the years and, with 16 runners in the field, there could be as many as five paid places to play for.
At the prices, I've taken a punt on MARBLE SANDS (33/1), who has won three times during his second season as a novice hurdler. Having beaten the talented Rare Edition in the Sidney Banks, Fergal O'Brien threw his seven-year-old into the Ballymore at Cheltenham, where Marble Sands ran a decent enough race to finish a place ahead of Hermes Allen in fifth.
I've long thought that Marble Sands would benefit from the step up to three miles and this galloping track will suit him much more than the sharp Old Course at Cheltenham. 33/1 is a massive price.
Race 7 - Abersoch Land And Sea Handicap Hurdle Tips
I'm going to end Friday's tips with a couple of each-way selections in this wide-open handicap hurdle, starting with Charlie Longsdon's seven-year-old PARRAMOUNT (9/1).
Bradley Robert's mount travels to Aintree in search of a hat-trick, having followed a 21-length novice triumph with an emphatic handicap victory at Fakenham last time out. Parramount recorded an RPR of 135 standing on his head the last day and Roberts' claimer reduces his burden to just 11-3.
Charlie Maggs rode COLLINGHAM (25/1) to victory in the Scottish version of the County Hurdle at Musselburgh back in February. Plenty of shrewd judges then fancied Donald McCain's five-year-old to go well in the Morebattle Hurdle at Kelso last month, but Maggs was unseated after a mistake at the second flight.
Collingham remains on a workable mark of just 125 and Maggs' ten-pound claimer means that McCain's runner will be getting weight from all 21 of his rivals. He looks overpriced at 25/1.
Verdict
Gerri Colombe is our best bet on Friday's card at Aintree. Burrows Saint would be the next best in the Topham. Strong Leader and Marble Sands are our value bets in the two Grade Ones for novice hurdlers.
Gerri Colombe
NAP
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Burrows Saint
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Strong Leader
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Marble Sands
Value Bet 2
@33/1 - 5 Units
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