Neil Morrice shares all of his best bets and tips for Thursday ’s racing coming your way from the Aintree Grand National Festival on 3 April 2025.
AINTREE GRAND NATIONAL FESTIVAL DAY 1 BEST BETS THURSDAY
Race 1 EBC GROUP MANIFESTO NOVICES’ CHASE (Grade 1)
No9 THE KALOOKI KID (Each Way)
Trainer: Nicky Richards – Jockey: Danny McMenamin
Arkle winner JANGO BAIE sets a high bar for his rivals to aim at, though his success in that Cheltenham contest looked unlikely until he got a second wind and stormed up the final hill to snatch the race from out of the fire. IMPAIRE ET PASSÉ arrives as a fresh horse after being kept on hold since his good run at the Dublin Racing Festival in early February. Beaten only by the top class Ballyburn and CROKE PARK on that occasion, he had comfortably landed his first two chase starts. Croke Park hadn’t put a foot wrong until that defeat and commands respect for Gordon Elliott but one that might represent value is THE KALOOKI KID. Richards didn’t waste much time in switching the grey to fences and he’s looked useful in landing a novices’ handicap chase at Doncaster and a handicap chase at Musselburgh in which he landed a not inconsiderable gamble.
Prediction: 1st THE KALOOKI KID, 2nd Impaire Et Passé, 3rd Croke Park
Race 2 BOODLES ANNIVERSARY 4-Y-O JUVENILE HURDLE (Grade 1)
No6 LIVE CONTI (Nap)
Trainer: Dan Skelton – Jockey: Harry Skelton
LIVE CONTI has been elevated to favourite for the Aintree version of the Triumph Hurdle following the late switch of Lulamba to another race at the meeting. The selection, whose owners include Sir Alex Ferguson, won well on Rules debut at Wetherby but would in his trainer’s view have found Cheltenham a step too far at that early stage of his career. Given more time to prepare for this big class rise, the Skelton raider can step up to the plate and remain unbeaten. PUTURHANDSTOGETHER was a well supported winner of the Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle at the Festival to make it two wins from four hurdling assignments. He deserves the greatest respect for JP McManus and Joseph O’Brien. His stable companion NATURALLY NIMBLE has each way claims in his own right, and should also trouble the judge.
Prediction: 1st LIVE CONTI, 2nd Puturhandstogether, 3rd Naturally Nimble
Race 3 BROOKLANDS GOLDEN MILLER CHRONOGRPAH BOWL CHASE (Grade 1)
No5 GREY DAWNING
Trainer: Dan Skelton – Jockey: Harry Skelton
In the same fashion as Live Conti, GREY DAWNING side-stepped Cheltenham with connections preferring a crack at this prize over the Gold Cup. After being run down in the Betfair Chase, my selection had his King George VI Chase pretensions wiped out by a slow start at Kempton, from which he never recovered. However, when returning from a mid season break he was the convincing winner of a Listed chase at Kelso. That has served to give him a confidence boost. AHOY SENOR is a regular in this, having finished second in each of the last two years, while he won a big novice chase at the meeting in 2022. He looked to be travelling well within himself when exiting the Gold Cup, and if his jumping holds up, can’t be ruled out. GAELIC WARRIOR has the ability to play a part in the finish but has been a beaten favourite on his last two outings at Leopardstown and has something to prove. SPILLANE’S TOWER won four times in his novice season and was not disgraced when fifth in the King George. He’s high up in the betting with the potential to get involved.
Prediction: 1st GREY DAWNING, 2nd Ahoy Senor, 3rd Spillane’s Tower
Race 4 WILLIAM HILL AINTREE HURDLE (Grade 1)
No CONSTITUTION HILL
Trainer: Nicky Henderson – Jockey: Nico de Boinville
Some intensive schooling has accompanied CONSTITUTION HILL into this cracking Day 1 feature, brought about by the previously unbeaten hurdler’s fall at halfway in the Champion Hurdle. Nicky Henderson’s eight-year-old is making just a second visit to the this course, having taken out the same race as a 2-15 shot two years ago, but is without question the biggest draw of the week for this rematch with the mare LOSSIEMOUTH. The pair clashed in the Christmas Hurdle at Kempton Park on Boxing Day when Constitution Hill readily had her measure, and even though the grey has advertised her well being with a most impressive triumph in the mares’ hurdle at Cheltenham, it requires a stretch of the imagination to seeng her taking revenge here. For the minor placings WODHOOH is a must include following her clear cut triumph in the Martin Pipe.
Prediction: 1st CONSTITUTION HILL, 2nd Lossiemouth, 3rd Wodhooh
Race 5 RANDOX FOXHUNTERS’ OPEN HUNTERS’ CHASE
No FAMOUS CLERMONT
Trainer: Chris Barber – Jockey: Mr a James King
FAMOUS CLERMONT sets the standard for the field to aim at in the first race run over the Grand National fences. Past experience of the terrain can prove a big advantage, and my selection was a resounding winner of the corresponding race 12 months ago when coming home clear of BENNYS KING. He jumped and travelled beautifully, and has had a return here on his agenda ever since with a cosy success at Stratford last spring then prompting a lengthy break. Bennys King goes to post on the back of a confidence building triumph at Leicester, and given his liking for these fences should again be involved. LIFETIME AMBITION does the majority of his racing in points, and is respected following a couple of comfortable successes earlier in the year. MY DROGO was a Grade 1 winner as a novice over hurdles at the track, and has been very lightly raced over the past three years. Most recently he showed his well being when winning a hunter chase at Haydock.
Prediction: 1st FAMOUS CLERMONT, 2nd Bennys King, 3rd My Drogo, 4th Lifetime Ambition
Race 6 CLOSE BROTHERS RED RUM HANDICAP CHASE
In the equivalent of the Grand Annual Challenge Cup it could pay to side with MY MATE MOZZIE following his creditable fourth placing in that contest on just his second outing of the season. He hails from a stable that enjoyed notable success at Cheltenham and should have the progression in him to go very close. Similarly lightly raced is his compatriot THE FOLKES TIARA, who after scoring on seasonal return at Fairyhouse finished second in a valuable race at Leopardstown on Boxing Day and hasn’t been seen since. The Paul Nicholls- trained SANS BRUIT has good form on this better ground, whilst attracting plenty of interest in the ante post market. The JP McManus- owned PETIT TONNERRE looks to be getting better with each race over fences, and after scoring at Doncaster in the New Year looked unlucky on his latest run at the same track.
Prediction: 1st MY MATE MOZZIE, 2nd Petit Tonnerre, 3rd Sans Bruit, 4th The Folkes Tiara
Race 7 GOFFS NICKEL COIN MARES’ STANDARD NH FLAT RACE (Grade 2)
No CHARISMA CAT (Each Way)
Trainer: Alan King – Jockey: Tom Cannon
CHARISMA CAT includes a Sandown Listed bumper success on her CV and has only once been beaten in four attempts when looking unfortunate not to run down the reopposing KINGSTON QUEEN at Market Rasen. The daughter of Nathaniel is very highly rated by her trainer and brings an alluring glow to the concluding mares’ bumper. BETTY’S DAISY was a well supported winner on debut at Warwick from which she needs to take a big step forward in order to win, but looking at her connections it would not be a surprise if she did. SEO LINN has kept her light under a bushel since winning a Listed bumper at Cheltenham in November and also figures to prove dangerous, while STRONG RUN opened her account in good style at Warwick back in February. That was in easy conditions, but she’s shown she can handle better ground.
Prediction: 1st CHARISMA CAT, 2nd Betty’s Daisy, 3rd Seo Linn, 4th Kingston Queen
