Aintree Tips on April 5th - Grand National Day Selections
The Grand National Festival 2025 at Aintree is set to captivate the sporting world with three Grade One races and a variety of intriguing handicaps. Notable tips for the day include Bo Zenith in the Handicap Hurdle, Good And Clever in the Mersey Novices' Hurdle, and Doctor Ken in the Freebooter Handicap Chase. Strong Leader aims for a repeat victory in the Liverpool Hurdle, while the Grand National Handicap Chase remains the day’s highlight. The festival promises thrilling races and strategic betting opportunities.
- Free tips on day three of the 2025 Grand National Festival
- This Grand National headlines another quality card on Saturday 5th April
- Good And Clever, Strong Leader and Mossy Fen Road feature in our day two tips
- Grand National Festival 2025 Day 3 Card
- 1:20pm Aintree - Handicap Hurdle Tips
- 1:55pm Aintree - Mersey Novices' Hurdle Tips
- 2:30pm Aintree - Freebooter Handicap Chase Tips
- 3:05pm Aintree - Liverpool Hurdle Tips
- 4:00pm Aintree - Grand National Tips
- 5:00pm Aintree - Maghull Novices' Chase Tips
- 5:35pm Aintree - Weatherbys Flat Race Tips
Grand National Day Tips
The eyes of the sporting world will be fixed on Aintree today, as millions of punters tune in to watch the 2025 Grand National played out. Around the namesake race of the meeting, racing fans have got three Grade One races and a handful of interesting handicaps to enjoy.
Here are our free tips through the card on Grand National day at Aintree.
Grand National Festival 2025 Day 3 Card
Grand National Festival 2025 Day 3 Tips
1:20pm Aintree - Handicap Hurdle Tips
The entire 21-horse field for Saturday's opening handicap are separated by less than a stone, making this race extremely difficult to dissect. Fancied horses have a good record, as does Dan Skelton, so Catch Him Derry would look to be the obvious answer - I just don't fancy siding with any runner at a single figure price.
BO ZENITH (14/1) is a horse who has been crying out for a step up in trip, so I'm keen to side with Nicky Henderson's six-year-old on his first start over three miles.
Henderson's recruit finished a very close second in the juvenile Grade One at this meeting in 2023, before spending 18 months on the side-lines. On all three starts for the former Champion Trainer, Bo Zenith has been slowly away and scrubbed along at the rear. James Bowen's mount did make some late inroads at Cheltenham in December and at Ascot the following month, but couldn't get involved in the Imperial Cup last time out.
Nicky has fitted cheek-pieces for today's assignment to try and get this talented six-year-old to concentrate in the early part of the race. I'm eager to see how Bo Zenith takes to this extended trip.
1:55pm Aintree - Mersey Novices' Hurdle Tips
With that handy four-year-old allowance on his side, Lulamba should take plenty of beating in this Grade One. Miami Magic is a horse I've been following with great interest this season, but at an even bigger price, I'm going to side with GOOD AND CLEVER (25/1) each-way.
Good And Clever has always raced like he wants to be going further than two miles. Warren Greatrex's star finished third behind Horaces Pearl and Tripoli Flyer in the bumper here at Aintree last spring, where he was up with the pace throughout. Good And Clever has since stayed on to finish second to Regent's Stroll in a maiden hurdle, third in the Grade One Formby here at Aintree, and third again behind the imperious Kopek Des Bordes at the Dublin Racing Festival.
Solider Of Fortune's progeny often relish going up in distance and Good And Clever's dam was a winning point-to-pointer who saw out three miles under rules. Greatrex has freshened his six-year-old up since that trip to Leopardstown. He could go well at a price.
2:30pm Aintree - Freebooter Handicap Chase Tips
While Myretown was very impressive when winning the Ultima, Lucinda Russell's novice had the run of the race out in front and he's been slapped with a 15-pound rating hike. Imperial Saint has already won three times around Aintree this season and holds some appeal. As does the lightly-raced DOCTOR KEN (10/1), who comes into this handicap fresh, having only run once so far this season.
Olly Murphy's nine-year-old made a winning chasing debut here at Aintree in November 2022. Doctor Ken won well on his sole start over three miles at Taunton in March of that season too, but injury problems saw him spend the next 600 days on the sidelines.
Sean Bowen's mount ran a blinder on his return to action at Kempton in November, losing out narrowly to Es Perfecto - who has won again since then and finished fifth at the Cheltenham Festival. Olly Murphy has had a tough time keeping Doctor Ken sound, but there's clearly plenty of ability under the bonnet and he remains unexposed in staying handicaps.
3:05pm Aintree - Liverpool Hurdle Tips
Victory for Doctor Ken would provide the Olly Murphy operation with a timely boost ahead of STRONG LEADER'S (13/2) bid to win back-to-back Liverpool Hurdles. Murphy's eight-year-old was superb in this race 12 months ago, kicking clear of Buddy One and Hiddenvalley Lake to win his first Grade One by over four lengths.
Strong Leader began this season with a workmanlike triumph in the Long Distance Hurdle at Newbury. Sean Bowen's mount never went a yard in the Long Walk at Ascot and ran his customary poor race at Cheltenham in the Cleeve Hurdle, where he could only finish fourth behind three inferior rivals.
I'm happy to put a line through those performances, as I fancy Murphy has been training Strong Leader for Aintree all season. Bowen's mount has a brilliant record at this meeting and does his best work on spring ground. 13/2 could turn out to be a nice price.
4:00pm Aintree - Grand National Tips
Read our full guide to the 2025 Grand National to get the latest odds, key recurring trends and our best bets in this famous handicap.
Visit our Grand National Live Stream page if you want to watch this race via a mobile or tablet.
5:00pm Aintree - Maghull Novices' Chase Tips
L'Eau Du Sud jumped the last in the Arkle with a slim advantage, only to fade on the run to the line. Only By Night then looked to have snatched an unlikely victory, until Jango Baie flew home to spoil her party.
Jango Baie let the Arkle form down earlier in the week and I don't think either of the top two represent value at their current prices. Kalif Du Berlais will have to raise his game and the other three runners hold little appeal. I'll be leaving this race alone.
5:35pm Aintree - Weatherbys Flat Race Tips
El Cairos comes into our final race on Saturday having run a cracker under David Maxwell in the Champion Bumper at Cheltenham. I was keen to back MOSSY FEN ROAD (7/1) at Cheltenham, but Harry Derham opted to skip the Festival and come here instead.
A half-brother to the once classy Fury Road, Harry Derham and Barratt Racing opened the checkbook to purchase Mossy Fen Road after he bolted up in an Irish point-to-point for Donnacha Doyle. Before of his bumper debut a Wetherby, Derham's recruit was backed into favouritism ahead of an expensive purchase for Olly Murphy, and Jonny Burke's mount put the field to the sword with a powerful challenge from the rear.
I often think it's the last horse to act who wins the big Festival bumpers. Burke employed similar tactics at Wetherby - biding his time at the rear, before sweeping to the front around the final bend and kicking four lengths clear without breaking a sweat.
Flemensfirth has produced plenty of top bumper horses, including 2018 Champion Bumper winner Relegate, and Derham has already proven himself capable of readying a horse for the big day. This race is renowned for upset results, but Mossy Fen Road looks a serious horse.
Verdict
Grand National Festival Day 3 Tip Tips:
Strong Leader
3:05pm Aintree
@13/2 - 5 Units
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Mossy Fen Road
5:35pm Aintree
@7/1 - 5 Units
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Doctor Ken E/W
2:30pm Aintree
@10/1 - 5 Units
Bet £10 Get £40
in free bets
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Bo Zenith E/W
1:20pm Aintree
@14/1 - 5 Units
Bet £10 Get £10
with promo code NEWBONUS
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