Rory Delargy and David Massey return with a look ahead to day one of the Randox Grand National Festival, including a couple at huge odds.
Racing betting tips: Thursday April 3
1pt e.w. Ahoy Senor in 2.55 Aintree at 13/2 (General 1/5 1,2,3) – min 11/2
0.5pts e.w. Eva's Oskar in 4.05 Aintree at 40/1 (Ladbrokes 1/5 1,2,3,4) – min 33/1
1pt e.w. Indeit Star in 4.40 Aintree at 40/1 (General 1/5 1,2,3,4) – min 25/1
A hearty good morning to Punting Pointers followers as we head into spring and Aintree’s Grand National meeting. It’s always tempting to go gung-ho into the big festivals, but we all know how that panned out at Cheltenham, don’t we?
In truth, we’ve found this meeting to be very tough at first glance, so it’s a fairly quiet start to the week for us, although we expect to find clues from how the track rides on the first day.
Where we haven't mentioned a race today it’s either of no interest to us for betting or we had wildly different ideas where the value lay.
2.55 Aintree
I can barely believe we’re backing AHOY SENOR again, but there it is.
He will enjoy the good ground better than many of his rivals and always comes alive at the Mildmay course where his form figures read 113223 with that latest third an eye-catching one which drew the attention of the stewards.
He was bowling along happily in the Gold Cup until being caught out by one of the ditches on the second circuit, as he had been two years earlier.
That run did at least suggest that he had benefited from wind surgery, and he is likely to go well with conditions ideal, and he does seem a different horse with the sun on his back.
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4.05 Aintree
Willitgoahead has been on my radar for this since I saw him outstayed by the promising Con’s Roc at Limerick in December for Sean Doyle, and although he won easily over 3m1f at Thurles next time, it was his speed and accurate jumping that impressed me.
He travelled best of all under regular rider Jamie Scallan in the Cheltenham version of this contest last time but couldn’t stay on as well as the winner up the hill. This drop in trip will suit him, to my way of thinking at least, and I expect him to show himself as good as any in the hunting sphere at present.
He’s been backed accordingly, however, and David isn’t as sweet on him as I am, with an outsider heading his list of hopefuls.
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EVA’S OSKAR was still tanking along in the 2023 Grand National when unseating at the 21st, and has come back from missing the whole of 2024 to re-find his form fairly quickly, winning at Bangor two starts back and then only just getting the worst of the argument with Captain Tommy at Catterick last time, form franked by the winner since; he goes on most ground and I’ve plenty of time for his pilot, Ed Vaughan, who is 5-22 over fences this season.
His odds of 40/1 are quite tempting.
4.40 Aintree
My Mate Mozzie keeps getting placed in big-field handicaps, using his cruising speed to bring himself easily into races, and although he doesn’t always find a great lot once let down, as was the case again in the Grand Annual at Cheltenham last time, he looks a knocking each-way bet again here, and the flatter track might enable him to eke his slightly suspect stamina out a bit further this time.
Primoz was sent off a 6/1 chance for that Grand Annual but it was game over when this front-runner was caught flat-footed after a false start. I’d stick a line straight through that and concentrate on earlier form, which would give him every chance here.
The above pair have obvious claims, but aren’t missed by the market, so I’ll throw rank outsider INEDIT STAR in as one who could surprise.
Sandown and soft ground wasn’t his thing last time when found to have bled, but he wasn’t far behind Greatwood Chase winner Booster Bob over this C&D the time before, and his second to Fringill Dyke at Bangor last May also reads very well. He comes here fresh which is a positive for one who is clearly fragile and looks overpriced at 40/1.
Published at 0936 BST on 03/04/25
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