Neil Morrice shares all of his best bets and tips for Saturday’s racing coming your way from the Aintree Grand National Festival on 5 April 2025.
AINTREE GRAND NATIONAL BEST BETS DAY 3 SATURDAY
Race 1 WILLIAM HILL TOP PRICE GUARANTEED HANDICAP HURDLE
No PUSH THE BUTTON
Trainer: Nigel Twiston-Davies – Jockey:
This is a wickedly competitive heat, but with the better ground sure to be in his favour PUSH THE BUTTON is worth considering. The grey has endured a topsy turvy season, but after flopping at Exeter absolutely flew at the end of the Martin Pipe to finish just out of the money. JERIKO DU REPONET rates a worthy favourite after putting in a seasonal best when second in the Pertemps Final at the Festival and has to be respected. NURSE SUSAN attracted plenty of support only to fall short at the Festival, but granted his connections and that it was his first run after a protracted absence he could improve a fair way. At the bottom of the weights NAVAJO INDY takes the eye as one that could ripple the pond, based on his good earning run in the Betfair Hurdle at Newbury.
Prediction: 1st PUSH THE BUTTON, 2nd Navajo Indy, 3rd Jeriko Du Reponet, 4th Nurse Susan
Race 2 TURNERS MERSEY NOVICES’ HURDLE ( Grade 1)
No LULAMBA (Nap)
Trainer: Nicky Henderson – Jockey: Nico de Boinville
Nicky Henderson had good reason to re-route Triumph Hurdle runner-up LULAMBA to this longer race than run in Thursday’s Boodles as the former French trained juvenile receives 10lb from his older rivals as he stretches out on the distance ladder, on a sharp track where this big horse will appreciate going further. The Nap looked unfortunate not to win at the Festival as he had only just seen off East India Dock when 100-1 roughie Poniros mugged him on the blindside in the final couple of strides. From an Irish presence of four, KOKTAIL DIVIN is the pick. In three races since joining Henry De Bromhead from France he’s got better and is fresh and fancied, though HORACES PEARL looks equally alluring granted his unblemished record of three bumper successes and two over hurdles from as many starts for Fergal O’Brien.
Prediction: 1st LULAMBA, 2nd Horaces Pearl, 3rd Koktail Divin
Race 3 WILLIAM HILL HANDICAP CHASE
No3 SHAKEM UP’ARRY (Each Way)
Trainer: Ben Pauling – Jockey: Ben Jones
Having agonisingly missed the cut for the Grand National, SHAKEM UP’ARRY can outperform his big double figure price. Last season’s Topham proved a bridge too far for the veteran after his thrilling triumph in The Plate at the Cheltenham Festival, while three outings this season have proved largely underwhelming. However, he ran well for a long way in the same race last month and almost certainly needed it. With Ben Jones in his irons the eleven-year-old can roll back the years. MYRETOWN landed a substantial gamble in the Ultima Chase at the Festival and rates a worthy favourite for this from his revised mark. His prospects should increase if he is able to race with an uncontested lead, but this seems an unlikely scenario. CRUZ CONTROL is one to note granted his good form on the better ground he will encounter, while IMPERIAL SAINT and WEVEALLBEENCAUGHT also enter calculations.
Prediction: 1st SHAKEM UP’ARRY, 2nd Cruz Control, 3rd Myretown, 4th Imperial Saint, 5th Weveallbeencaught
Race 4 IVY LIVERPOOL HURDLE (Grade 1)
No TEAHUPOO
Trainer: Gordon Elliott – Jockey:
Aintree’s Stayers’ Hurdle equivalent can see TEAHUPOO re establish himself as the top in his class. Last year the gelding delivered at both the Cheltenham and Punchestown Festivals and it was a shock to the majority of judges when he couldn’t fend off Bob Olinger last month. This is his first visit to the easier Mildmay course, but it should hold no perils for him. HOME BY THE LEE had been popular in the betting before exiting the Stayers’ and should make his presence felt as the main threat to the selection. It’s hard to see the home contingent striking a blow, and for exactas, trifectas and quartets the ones recommended are THE WALLPARK and KITZBUHEL.
Prediction: 1st TEAHUPOO, 2nd Home By The Lee, 3rd The Wallpark, 4th Kitzbuhel
Race 5 RANDOX GRAND NATIONAL HANDICAP CHASE
No IROKO (Each Way)
Trainer: Oliver Greenall – Jockey: Jonjo O’Neill Jr
Nine of the top ten in the handicap are trained in Ireland, and save for IROKO runners from the Emerald Isle are dominating the Hollywoodbets market on the biggest single betting sports event in the world. My original pick was BEAUPORT, but the clement Merseyside weather appears to have scuppered this soft ground lover’s hopes of a historic victory in the colours of 1993 winner Corbiere. STUMPTOWN has put together an impressive four race sequence in cross-country races and he looks to be man of the moment Gavin Cromwell’s leading chance. His stablemate PERCEVAL LEGALLOIS needs considering in his hat-trick bid while the 2024 winner I AM MAXIMUS has come in for considerable late support after having his mark protected with two underwhelming efforts this season. Shark Hanlon is confident that his former King George VI Chase winner HEWICK can hit the high notes, with his big race pilot Gavin Sheehan retaining the mount. Harry Cobden has been equally complimentary about the chance of KANDOO KID, who if successful could sensationally help grab the trainer’s title for Paul Nicholls. With the fences so dramatically reduced in size it’s likely there will be at least half a dozen in with a chance jumping the last, and with that image in mind I go back to IROKO, who has been trained specifically with this one race in mind and should have won at least twice from his four outings this season. His running at the Cheltenham trials meeting at the end of January attracted the attention of the Stewards, while his two and a half lengths Kelso defeat by Grey Dawning was a perfectly good way for him to signal that he is fully primed and ready to accomplish the task at hand.
Prediction: 1st IROKO, 2nd Kandoo Kid, 3rd Stumptown, 4th Perceval Legallois, 5th I Am Maximus, 6th Hewick
Race 6 ROSCONN GROUP MAGHULL NOVICES’ CHASE (Grade 1)
No 4 L’EAU DU SUD
Trainer: Dan Skelton – Jockey: Harry Skelton
With only seven declared to run this valuable race over the Mildmay fences is nowhere near as competitive as it promised to be. The chief beneficiary is the grey L’EAU DU SUD, who though losing his unbeaten record over fences when fourth in the Arkle was in contention until jumping the final fence and was ultimately beaten less then two lengths by the winner Jango Baie, whose connections elected to run him earlier in the week. The only mare in the race ONLY BY NIGHT looks the main danger. Her trainer Gavin Cromwell has three set to take their chance in the National, and a victory for this multiple scorer would provide a perfectly timed good omen.
Prediction: 1st L’EAU DU SUD, 2nd Only By Night
Race 7 WEATHERBYS NHSTALLIONS.CO.UK STANDARD OPEN NH FLAT RACE (Grade 2)
No MOSSY FEN ROAD
Trainer: Harry Derham – Jockey: Paul O’Brien
Trying to jump out of jail will not be easy in the finale, if indeed such a course of action is required. The race lacks an outstanding candidate but there is plenty to like about MOSSY FEN ROAD as she defends a one race unbeaten record under Rules. That Wetherby success was gained with real authority, and the former point winner is sure to be more streetwise as he will need to be in order to prevail in this race. EL CAIROS ran a blinder for an inexperienced horse when fifth in the Festival Bumper at Cheltenham and holds a winning chance if running up to that level. From an Irish perspective two that stand out are GREEN SPLENDOUR and LE LABO.
Prediction: 1st MOSSY FEN ROAD, 2nd El Cairos, 3rd Le Labo, 4th Green Splendour
