Aintree Day 3 Preview & Selections

And so here we are. Day 3 of the Aintree meeting and the day of the greatest steeplechase on earth. You truly won’t see a race anywhere else in the world like you’ll see at 4.15 on Merseyside today, and the biggest betting event of the year is the outstanding highlight of today’s card. However, it can be easy in the midst of the Grand National to forget about the top class support card that makes Grand National day the full day of fantastic racing that it is.

So, after great profits on day one, followed by only one winner from three races on day two, we’re in profit going into the final day. Today, though, will be make or break, and fearless punting is the order of the day at Aintree. Grand National day is one where you could win or lose a fair amount of money, and hopefully we’ll come out on the right side of that, thanks to the supporting card and the big race itself.

1.30 – Mersey Novices Hurdle – 2m 4f – Grade 1

We’ve successfully picked the winner in the opening race on both of the first two days of the Grand National meeting and that’s a trend I wouldn’t mind continuing today. However, instead of selecting the favourite, like yesterday, it’s value I’ll be looking for today, as was the case when we selected 7/1 Guitar Pete on Thursday.

Volnay De Thaix at 9/1 had his only defeat in the UK to Irving in a Grade 2 at Ascot, which is of no shame considering that the Supreme Novices (where Irving flopped but was well fancied) form is proving rock solid this week with plenty of winners coming from the race. That defeat was a good run when he was hampered by a faller at the last, and although he wouldn’t have beaten Irving, he stayed on very well to get 2^nd.

Volnay De Thaix doesn’t deserve the long odds he has been handed considering that he is one of onle a couple of horses in the field who have had success at a higher class. The ground will be ideal today and although he will have 4 furlongs to find on previous form, his run behind Iriving would suggest that he will have no trouble for a longer trip, based on how well he stayed on after the last. Although he has had no previous starts at Aintree (the only horse who does is Splash Of Ginge, who Volnay De Thaix beat in that same race) I think that the track will be well suited to him and he’s value today in a tough field.

Plenty of horses should put it up to him – Lac Fontana and Oscar Hoof warrant their shorter prices while Kayf Moss could be hugely overpriced – but I would think that Volnay De Thaix has the edge on these and he’s the bet.

Volnay De Thaix 9/1

2.05 – Maghull Novices Chase – 2m – Grade 1

This is a tough race to pick the winner of, and with only 7 runners and 2 each-way places, an e/w bet isn’t really on the cards. I would think that this realistically be between the top 3 in the market, and all of them should be there or there about – if you’re interested in forecasts etc, a reverse tri-cast would be the way to go if there were eight runners. However, it’s very tough to pick just one of them.

However, slight preference would have to go to favourite Hinterland and 10/3. He was travelling very well and could have put in a big race in the Champion Chase at Cheltenham a couple of weeks ago when he unseated his rider with four to jump. He returns to his novice companions today and after racing against the big players in the division, he could be a real step above the rest. Trifolium could snatch 2^nd from Balder Success, but there is little between the two and I can’t go for a forecast or an each-way bet.

Hinterland 10/3

2.50 – Liverpool Hurdle – 3m 110yds – Grade 1

Again, I’m going to have to admit defeat and say that the market has it right for the Liverpool Hurdle this year rather than hunt out value. In another 7-horse field, there are only two each-way places on offer, and so a win bet is the way to go and the favourite is the one to have on your side.

At Fishers Cross 13/8 was the winner of the Albert Bartlett Novices Hurdle at Cheltenham last year and followed up at Aintree, finishing a spectacular season with a win in the Sefton Hurdle at this same meeting. This season, however, his season hasn’t been as stellar, with form of 4U26. He picked it up from these first two starts, however, and was back to old form when he beat Zarkandar, his main opponent today, to come 3^rd in the World Hurdle at Cheltenham.

Without More Of That here today, we’ll be expecting World Hurdle form to come true, and that would put At Fishers Cross at the very top of the list and the most likely winner today by a good margin. Possibly the bet of the day.

At Fishers Cross 13/8

4.15 - Grand National - 4m 3f 110yds

So, we've been studying the Grand National for weeks now, and we've been on three horses ante post for a few weeks. On top of that, there are new bets today, and all of this can be viewed here. You could either decide to stake 7pts on the race, or decide how much you want to stake and divide from there. Here's the post. 

So, aside from the National, we’re backing these three horses, and I really wouldn’t put you off a Trixie. So, that would be three singles, two doubles and a treble (6 points staked). For those who aren’t interested in a 13/8 shot, that is. 

1.30 – Volnay De Thaix 9/1 (Win or e/w)

2.05 – Hinterland 10/3

2.50 – At Fishers Cross 13/8

(Optional Trixie)

Best of luck and remember not to bet more than you can afford to lose.