Paddy Brennan's Aintree Tips - Thursday Day One
Having joined the Free Bets team for the 2025 Cheltenham Festival, multiple-Grade 1 winning jockey Paddy Brennan returns to provide his free Aintree day 1 tips and expert analysis.
We have also got some of the best and latest Grand National betting offers on the market ahead of the Festival.
Paddy Brennan's Aintree Day 1 Tips
Check out Paddy's tips for Day 1 of the Grand National Festival, including a 6/1 fancy in the Aintree Bowl.
1:45pm Aintree - Jango Baie
JANGO BAIE is the favourite, but we've also got Impaire Et Passe and Croke Park coming in, both of whom missed Cheltenham, so it will be a tough test.
However, I fancy Jango Baie - I think the form of that Arkle victory is good enough to win this, and I don't think he had a particularly hard race.
Nico gave him a brilliant ride at Cheltenham, ensuring he hit the line strongly, and of all the runners in that race, he had the easiest run.
It has been a perfect prep for this race, and I fancy him strongly to land another Grade 1 success.
Recommendation: Jango Baie - 5/2 with bet265
2:20pm Aintree - Live Conti
The JP McManus-owned Puturhandstogether was a very good winner of the Fred Winter at last month's Cheltenham Festival, but LIVE CONTI is a horse I picked to follow early in the season, and this race has been the plan for a long time.
He could only win at Wetherby, but you couldn't say that performance indicated his actual ability.
He's definitely good enough to win this, and Team Skelton are pleased with his prep - he'll be very hard to beat.
Recommendation: Live Conti - 6/1 with bet365
2:55pm Aintree - Ahoy Senor (Each-Way)
Dan Skelton made a huge decision to miss the Cheltenham Gold Cup with Grey Dawning, and he will be very hard to beat in the Aintree Bowl, and I think AHOY SENOR (Each-Way) is the biggest danger in what will be a hell of a race.
Ahoy Senor fell in the Cheltenham Gold Cup, but he has won around Aintree twice and looks like a solid each-way bet.
Gaelic Warrior steps up in trip, but he jumps to the right slightly, so he may not be suited around here while the ground could have gone against Spillane's Tower.
For me, this race is destined to be landed by a UK-trained horse.
Recommendation: Ahoy Senor (Each-Way) - 6/1 with BetVictor (3 places)
3:30pm Aintree - Lossiemouth (Nap)
What a race, and this is the race we've wanted all since the Christmas Hurdle - Constitution Hill versus LOSSIEMOUTH (Nap).
There's more in Lossiemouth's favour here with step up and trip, and she had the perfect prep at Cheltenham - she will be very hard to beat.
I'm not convinced Aintree suits Constitution Hill, and he needs to bounce back from his fall in the Champion Hurdle.
Gordon Elliott's Wodhooh was very impressive in landing the Martin Pipe at Cheltenham to maintain his unbeaten record, but I can't tell you how big a step up it is from a handicap to a Grade One - it's a massive jump and one I'd be unsure about him making.
Recommendation: Lossiemouth (Nap) - 13/8 with bet365
4:05pm Aintree - Joker De Mai (Each-Way)
The Hunters' Chase is a race where you make a cup of tea, sit down and enjoy watching it.
It's a wide-open race, and this year's renewal looks like an absolute lottery.
Fergal has Autonomous Cloud lining up, but the ground is against him - over this trip, he needs a slower ground.
You want a horse with some experience in this race, so I would take a chance on the Harry Derham-trained JOKER DE MAI (Each-Way), with David Maxwell onboard.
Recommendation: Joker De Ma (Each-Way) - 14/1 with Coral (5 places)
4:40pm Aintree - My Mate Mozzie
MY MATE MOZZIE is the one to beat here, on a flatter track and on slightly better ground.
I don't see any of the UK-based horses jumping out at me, and Gavin Cromwell's runner looks a solid bet running off the same mark as when 4th in last month's Grand Annual at Cheltenham.
Recommendation: My Mate Mozzie - 11/2 with bet365
5:15pm Aintree - Jackie Hobbs & Blue Betty
Like the Hunters' Chase, the Mares' Bumper looks like a lottery to close things off on the opening day at Aintree.
These bumpers can be a nightmare - it's all about position and having a clear run, and it can be quite a messy race.
Billy Lee comes over to ride the favourite, Seo Linn, for Paddy Twomey - she was very impressive when landing a gamble in a Listed Mares' contest at the Cheltenham November meeting.
Six winners have come out of that race, including Siog Geal for Fergal O'Brien.
Fergal has three nice fillies in this race, and I like the chances of BLUE BETTY, who cruised home in a Bumper at Newcastle earlier this year.
I also like JACKIE HOBBS from the Harry Derham yard - she's looked potentially top-class in her two wins to date, and she can go close under Paul O'Brien.
Recommendations: Jackie Hobbs - 7/1 with Coral & Blue Betty - 9/1 with BetVictor
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