Find all previous Seymour Biz racing previews in his weekly column: Saturday Horse Racing Tips.
It’s the biggest betting day of the year on Saturday, with ITV aiming all its firepower at Aintree for the Grand National meeting, with five races being covered from the Merseyside track, and what a card it is.
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There are two Grade 1 hurdles being televised, along with three Class 1 handicaps, including the National itself. A lot has been said and written about the changes to the race, the shortening of the course, the changes to the fences, and, most of all, the qualifications required to run in the race. That said, it has enhanced the quality of the runners with no horses out of the handicap this year. The lowest weight to be carried will be 10 st 3 lbs.
The Irish trainers are here in force, which is unsurprising considering the Irish have won eight of the last ten runnings of the big race, with Lucinda Russell managing to put a couple of winners on the board for the UK.
So here are my thoughts for value at the meeting, along with the Grand National itself and this week’s Lucky Fifteen. Good Luck to everyone.
Aintree Lucky Fifteen
1.20 Hold The Serve
2.30 Lookaway
3.05 Impose Toi
4.00 Johnnywho
Bet this lucky 15 on Bet365
Beginning with the 1.20, the William Hill Handicap Hurdle is a Class 1 Premier Handicap run over 3m 1/2f. Dan Skelton’s Supremely West is the current favourite after his fine victory in a 3-mile hurdle at the Festival. He has plenty of weight.
Paul Nicholls’s Absolutely Doyen ran a disappointing 8th in that Cheltenham race, but did rally after the last. He can hit the frame here.
Chris Gordon’s Fortune Timmy started the season with a couple of wins. His latest run at Cheltenham in the Turners, when he was hampered by a faller at the last, was not up to this class.
Olly Murphy’s Hold The Serve has won three times since a wind op last November. He has skipped Cheltenham to come here, and he can put up a good performance off his low weight.
The William Hill Handicap Chase is at 2.30. This is a Class 1 Premier Handicap run over 3m 1f. Last year’s winner, Tom Lacey’s Cruz Control, returns to try and defend his crown. He has not been out since December when he was pulled up at Cheltenham.
Christian Williams’s Deep Cave won twice before Christmas but has disappointed since then.
Joel Parkinson and Sue Smith have Konfusion in this. He has won three times this season, including two Grade 3s. He was racing prominently when falling in the Ultima at Cheltenham. If he stays on his feet, he can hit the frame.
Imperial Saint won at Haydock in January for trainers Hobbs and White and finished 8th in the Ultima at Cheltenham.
Another who finished down the field in the Ultima was Lucinda Russell’s Myretown, whom I have given several chances to this term, but I pass him over here. I hope I don’t regret it.
Dan Skelton’s Mr Hope Street has shown very little this season, but is fancied here because of his trainer. A big improvement would be required to feature.
The class horse here is Neil King’s Lookaway, who has won twice at Kempton since the New Year, including a Class 3. He is a past Aintree winner and should be fresh since his last victory in February.
At 3.05, it is the Jet2 Liverpool Hurdle, which is a Grade 1 contest run over 3 m 1/2f. This race has been blown open at the 2-day stage by the withdrawal of Gordon Elliott’s Wodhooh, so Elliott’s other runner, Honesty Policy, has been bumped up to favouritism. He finished 5th in the long-distance hurdle at Cheltenham.
That race was won by Joseph O’Brien’s Home By The Lee, following on from his win at Gowran Park in January. Another bold run is expected.
Nicky Henderson’s Impose Toi was pulled up in that Cheltenham race, but made a bad mistake three out that ended his chances. A flatter track will help.
Henderson also runs Jingko Blue, who won a Grade 3 at the Festival. He is a class act and is sure to feature here.
Olly Murphy’s Strong Leader has been unable to get past Impose Toi in three attempts this season. So I take Impose Toi to make amends for that Cheltenham mishap and rule the roost over his stablemate.
At 4.00 after all the build-up, it is the Randox Grand National Handicap Chase, a Class 1 Premier Handicap run over 4miles 2 1/2 furlongs and 30 fences. Firstly, I will look at the big Irish stables that have sent over their stable stars to try and claim the prize.
Willie Mullins has nine runners in the lineup, including the last two winners of this race. Nick Rockett in 2025 and I Am Maximus in 2024. They have 3lbs and 6lbs more to carry, respectively, than their winning weights, and neither has had a season to shout about.
Grangeclare West was third last year. He is up 2lbs this time, and won the Bobbyjo at Fairyhouse in February, a usual stepping stone to this race.
Captain Cody won last year’s Scottish National, and this race is reputed to have been his long-term target since then. He has a nice low weight.
Lecky Watson won a Grade 1 at Cheltenham last season, but has disappointed this term. However, under Mullins’s stewardship, he cannot be ruled out.
Gordon Elliott’s strong contingent of six runners includes Gerri Colombe, who has won five Grade 1s.
Stellar Story has only ever run in Graded chases and drops into handicap company for the first time after a fine third in the Bobbyjo at Fairyhouse in February.
As to the rest of the field, they should not be without hope, as several have excellent chances, including Rebecca Curtis’s Haiti Couleurs, who has won the Irish and Welsh National, but he was disappointing in the Gold Cup at Cheltenham last month. This race may come too soon after that effort.
Henry de Bromhead’s Monty’s Star is another who has been plying his trade in Graded company and drops into handicaps. He dodged Cheltenham in preparation for this, and he is expected to go close.
Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero’s Jagwar didn’t jump well in the Ultima at Cheltenham but still got home in second. These fences still take some jumping, and he needs to improve that part of his game.
The Champion Trainer elect, Dan Skelton, runs Panic Attack, who has won three times this season, including the Paddy Power at Cheltenham and the Coral Cup at Newbury. She ran third at Cheltenham in the Mare’s Chase and has gained a lot of support since then. Definitely one for the notebook.
So we come to my idea of the winner, Jonjo and AJ O’Neill’s Johnnywho. He was a winner at Cheltenham in the Ultima in March, jumped these fences and finished 5th of 17 last November. His low weight gives him an excellent chance in this field.
Aintree Lucky Fifteen
1.20 Hold The Serve
2.30 Lookaway
3.05 Impose Toi
4.00 Johnnywho
Bet this lucky 15 on Bet365
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