There are five meetings across the UK and Ireland on Thursday’s race card line-up, however, unsurprisingly, we’re giving our full focus to Aintree today, where the 2024 Grand National Festival kicks into gear. There are seven races on day one of the festival to dig through and we’ve picked out some potentially profitable horse racing betting tips to carry us through the opening act.
Best Tip #1: Grey Dawning – Aintree, 1.45
The Grand National opens with a potentially enthralling curtain raiser after lunchtime where Dan Skelton’s Grey Dawning is backed to hold sway. With heavy rain forecast, the 7-year-old should be suited by conditions and having won on three of his last four starts, previous form is in place.
Grey Dawning won over a similar trip at Cheltenham on March 14th, and he is taken to deliver the goods again here.
In a competitive-looking field elsewhere, Willie Mullins’ Irish charge Il Etait Temps also has strong possibilities. The 6-year-old is versatile enough to excel on different surfaces and could follow up a third place in the Arkle in Cheltenham with a better position today.
The red-hot Ginny’s Destiny, who has been a favourite on other horse racing betting sites, should also be in the mix for Paul Nicholls.
| Bookmaker | Odds |
| Betzone UK | 11/10 |
| Planet Sport Bet | 11/10 |
| Fitzdares | 11/10 |
Best Tip #2: Shishkin – Aintree, 2.55
Shishkin has had a couple of wobbles of late, though he looked on course to win the King George before he was unseated on Boxing Day, and he looked the part to win a Class 1 Chase at Newbury on February 10th.
Shishkin, of course, won last year’s iteration of this renewal and having enjoyed a longish break between races, he could have more zip in his stride than some of his more heavily-raced rivals.
Gordon Elliott’s Gerri Colombe has been doing much of the early running in the ante-post markets and carries a major threat. He ran to an impressive second place in last month’s Gold Cup at Cheltenham and should be good to push again after that effort.
Bravemansgame, who was last season’s King George Winner, is priced further out in the reckoning but shouldn’t be ruled out.
| Bookmaker | Odds |
| Betzone UK | 11/4 |
| Planet Sport Bet | 11/4 |
| Fitzdares | 5/2 |
Best Roughie: Diva Luna – Aintree, 5.15
Diva Luna has some top horses to beat in the last race on day one of the Grand National Festival, however, further improvement is expected to come from the 5-year-old and she could make life uncomfortable for the established order.
Diva Luna finished just behind today’s second- favourite Honky Tonk Highway in an Irish point race before scoring well to win at Market Rasen on her last outing in February. She beat another of today’s runners, Listentoyourheart, on that occasion.
Willie Mullins’ Baby Kate is likely to set the standard and is listed as the market favourite on betting apps.
She’s been off the scene since posting back-to-back wins at Ballinrobe and Cheltenham in the Autumn, however, her dam finished a close second for the same stable when running as favourite in this race back in 2016, and Baby Kate has the talent to produce something similar.
| Bookmaker | Odds |
| Betzone UK | 7/1 |
| Planet Sport Bet | 7/1 |
| Fitzdares | 7/1 |
Stats and Insights
- Ten of the last 11 winners of the day’s first race, the Manifesto Novices Chase, have been won by horses aged between six and eight. Nine of the last 11 winners of the renewal were also in the top three in the betting markets, while nine of the last 11 winners were also rated 150 or higher.
- Shishkin won last season’s Aintree Bowl for Nicky Henderson as the pre-race favourite. In total, six of the last 11 winners of the renewal were favourites. Generally, horses aged between eight and ten have been doing the business in this event.
- The last race of day one is called the Nickel Coin Mares NH Flat Race and only two of the last 11 winners of the event were favourites before go time. Each of the last 11 winners of this race had at least two previous runs over 15 to 17 furlongs, however.
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