Neil Morrice shares all of his best bets and tips for Friday’s racing coming your way from the Aintree Grand National Festival on 4 April 2025.
AINTREE GRAND NATIONAL DAY 2 BEST BETS FRIDAY
Race 1 HUYTON ASPHALT FRANNY BEINNERHASSETT MEMORIAL MILDMAY NOVICES’ CHASE (Grade 1)
No3 HANDSTANDS
Trainer: Ben Pauling – Jockey: Ben Jones
Having headed to this race as the pick of three options, HANDSTANDS can assert his position with a fourth straight triumph as one of the best staying novices in the country. Aside from exiting his first chase the six-year-old hasn’t put a foot wrong, delivering his best performance in the Scilly Isles at Sandown in early February. He stretches out to three miles today, but was successful over that distance on an earlier visit to the Esher track. CALDWELL POTTER was an impressive winner of the novices’ handicap chase at the Festival where he jumped well and powered clear up the hill. He commands respect but at a double figure price THE CHANGING MAN could also have a say. He brings an experience edge to the table, and did nothing wrong when beaten by a well handicapped foe in the Ultima.
Prediction: 1st HANDSTANDS, 2nd The Changing Man, 3rd Caldwell Potter
Race 2 WILLIAM HILL HANDICAP HURDLE
No8 BE AWARE (Each Way)
Trainer: Dan Skelton – Jockey: Harry Skelton
BE AWARE was one of the best backed horses in handicap hurdles at Cheltenham but although threatening to get involved was ultimately put in his place in the Coral Cup. A 3-1 favourite for that race, he was having just a seventh ever race over hurdles and granted his connections’ fine record in the big handicap hurdles is worth sticking with. HANSARD disappointed me when going out tamely at the finish of the County Hurdle, as I know he’s better than he showed. As a 40-1 shot he’s worth a speculative bet now stepping up to two and a half miles. IMPOSE TOI gave it his best shot when chasing home Jimmy Du Seuil in the Coral Cup where he kept on well when headed. Nicky Henderson’s charge was making just a second visit to the racecourse this season, and might easily progress. STEEL ALLY was only just denied by Nemean Lion in the National Spirit Hurdle at Fontwell and also finished second to stablemate Lump Sum in the Welsh Champion Hurdle. He is a must for exactas, trifectas and quartets. Another to bear in mind is OFF THE JURY, who could trouble the judge if his wayward tendencies don’t get in his way. He is the joker in the pack.
Prediction: 1st BE AWARE, 2nd Impose Toi, 3rd Steel Ally, 4th Hansard, 5th Off The Jury
Race 3 TRUSTATRADER TOP NOVICES’ HURDLE (Grade 1)
No 15 DIVA LUNA (Each Way)
Trainer: Ben Pauling – Jockey: Kielan Woods
Mares’ Hurdle third DIVA LUNA enjoys the luxury of the mares’ allowance in this two miler on an easy track that could well suit her better than Cheltenham. Her ability to jump well at the head of affairs can serve her effectively in a match up with nine males of whom ROMEO COOLIO is easily the form pick. Last season’s Festival Bumper second didn’t do much wrong when third to Kopek Des Bordes in the Supreme, and this is easier. TRIPOLI FLYER turns up with a real chance after blowing away his foes in Kempton’s Dovecote, but others from the home challenge may struggle, including the well regarded JET TO VEGAS.
Prediction: 1st DIVA LUNA, 2nd Romeo Coolio, 3rd Tripoli Flyer
Race 4 MY PENSION EXPERT MELLING CHASE (Grade 1)
No3 MATATA
Trainer: Nigel Twiston-Davies – Jockey: JJ Slevin
JONBON was an authoritative winner of this race in 2024 and has frightened away a good amount of the opposition as he bids to avenge an unlucky defeat in the Queen Mother Champion Chase. A mid race mistake stopped him in his tracks, but to his credit this winner of all but two of his 11 races over fences rallied to pass two rivals up the final hill and finish second to Marine Nationale. He will start at prohibitive odds this afternoon and should take care of old adversary EL FABIOLO and the aging PROTEKTORAT. An entirely different proposition however is the spring heeled front runner MATATA, who having skipped Cheltenham is fresh and fancied to outrun his roughie status, and to possibly cause the favourite problems.
Prediction: 1st MATATA, 2nd Jonbon, 3rd Protektorat, 4th El Fabiolo
Race 5 RANDOX SUPPORTING PROSTATE CANCER UK TOPHAM HANDICAP CHASE
No18 BAD (Each Way)
Trainer: Ben Pauling – Jockey: Ben Jones
With blinkers added, BAD has looked a reformed character in back-to-back Kempton successes in which his once suspect jumping has been a joy to a watch. The grey schooled in ‘deadly’ fashion according to his trainer over some spruce obstacles earlier in the week, and has a handy racing style that should keep him to the fore and out of harm’s way. Bringing a class element to the race is GINNY’S DESTINY, who though out of sorts for much of the season showed glimpses of his old ability when just out of the money in The Plate at the Cheltenham Festival. Any market move in favour of the Willie Mullins-trained GLENGOULY might be worth heeding as he emerges from a mid season break in the colours of Florida Pearl. His compatriot AMIRITE has a similarly dark persona following a readying run over hurdles while BLUE LORD is another from the Mullins camp who can get into the shake-up. As a lively outsider it may pay to also include LOUNGE LIZARD, who though not easy to predict goes into this off a convincing success at Huntingdon.
Prediction: 1st BAD, 2nd Ginny’s Destiny, 3rd Blue Lord, 4th Glengouly, 5th Lounge Lizard
Race 6 ODDSCHECKER SEFTON NOVICES’ HURDLE (Grade 1)
No5 JACOB’S LADDER
Trainer: Gordon Elliott – Jockey: Sam Ewing
JACOB’S LADDER is vying for favouritism in this long distance novices’ hurdle and that’s no surprise granted how much he was on top at the business end of his latest outing at Naas. It made his record two from three over hurdles with the promise of much more to come. Aside from Elliott’s other contender, multiple scorer FAMILIAR DREAMS, the bulk of the opposition are English trained. MISTER MEGGIT has spent the season hiding his light under a bushel but has very good bumper and hurdling form to bring to the table for Jonjo O’Neill. CALIFET EN VOL took out a Huntingdon Listed race for Nicky Henderson on only a third hurdling start while BATTLE BORN LAD was unextended when landing a Grade2 at Haydock to remain unbeaten over jumps for Mark Walford.
Prediction: 1st JACOB’S LADDER, 2nd Mister Meggit, 3rd Battle Born Lad, 4th Familiar Dreams
Race 7 HALLGARTEN AND NOVUM WINES HANDICAP HURDLE
No4 CELTIC DINO (Each Way)
Trainer: Sam Thomas – Jockey: Dylan Johnston
LUMP SUM has a proper earning chance with a top amateur in his irons, but he has kept the weights down for CELTIC DINO who looks the Thomas stable’s number one. If you had asked the trainer to pick out one horse at the start of the season it might well have been my selection, for whom things haven’t quite worked out as planned. After his wins at Wincanton and Ascot he had missed work and can be forgiven a defeat at this course on Boxing Day, but he put in a satisfactory effort behind Tripoli Flyer at Kempton last month and it will be interesting to see if that rival can do him a favour by running well in the Grade 1 earlier on the card. AFADIL is the type who always runs well in these races at the marquee meetings in the spring, and should again take away a cheque. MANUELITO is an unexposed improver from an in form stable that also needs respecting and that comment also applies to hat-trick seeker JACK HYDE.
Prediction: 1st CELTIC DINO, 2nd Adadil, 3rd Manuelito, 4th Jack Hyde
