Aintree Festival 2025: Race By Race Guide For Day 1
It’s Grand National weekend, and all eyes turn quickly from Cheltenham to Aintree this year.
After finding five winners at Cheltenham, including 16/1, 14/1 and 8/1 shots, our man Dean Ryan is back for more with his race-by-race guide to the Aintree Festival over three great days of racing.
If you follow any of his selections, be sure to check out our recommended best betting sites first and see what specials and offers are available for the great action ahead.
Let’s get straight into it.
Aintree 13.45 – Manifesto Novices’ Chase Selection
Selection: Impaire Et Passe - 1pt Win @ 5/2 With Bet365
This race really sets up nicely. Jango Baie needed every yard of the Arkle trip and some to underperform to score at Cheltenham, and this step-up in trip is ideal.
It does come quickly, though, and it may pay to side with the three market rivals headed by Impaire Et Passe.
Willie Mullins skipped Cheltenham with him and has added some headgear here, which should sharpen the attention of the seven-year-old, who needs to brush up on his jumping.
He won over hurdles at Aintree last year and is fairly priced to repeat the feat here this year.
Gidleigh Park and Croke Park hold solid claims on best form, and both will surely be a force over further distances next year.
Aintree 14.20 – 4yo Juvenile Hurdle
Selection: Puturhandstogether - No Bet Advised
A trappy betting heat for the juveniles Grade 1 at Aintree, with plenty still to be found out about the abilities of the field.
Puturhandstogether was a very taking winner of the Fred Winter at Cheltenham and should be good enough to follow up if the race doesn’t come too soon.
Mambonumberfive and Willy De Houelle are double-figure prices with betting apps to consider for each-way plays.
From a punting perspective, it’s a watching brief, with the favourite looking priced accordingly tight.
Aintree 14.55 – The Bowl Chase
Selection: Spillane’s Tower - 1pt Win @ 3/1 With Bet365
It’s hard to erase two recent runs from the memory for Spillane’s Tower.
A poor effort at Kempton in the King George, where things started badly and got only mildly better from there.
The betting market sent JP McManus’ charge off favourite for the contest, and it was a disappointing effort.
The previous outing was when he split two of the current best horses in training in Fact To File and Galopin Des Champs at Punchestown. That is easily the best piece of recent form on offer here.
A repeat of that, and with progression still likely for the seven-year-old, would make him the one to beat.
Even allowing for a strong field in opposition headed by the Cheltenham absentee Grey Dawning, who pulled up in the King George and then went for a confidence booster at Kelso since.
It would need a leap of faith to side with the other talented but frustrating rivals, and it looks like a match.
The 3/1 about the selection makes it a fair wager that Ireland will come out on top on the day.
Aintree 15.30 – Aintree Hurdle
Selection: Constitution Hill – No Bet Advised
Racing needs big clashes, and it also needs a hero. Constitution Hill will be tested here; after a fall at Cheltenham, the gloss has gone somewhat from the Nicky Henderson star.
But with all the hype surrounding the horse, it’s always overplayed. Will he run? Is he no longer as good as he was, and when will he deliver the superstar victory we want?
It was a first defeat and an unfortunate one. Here, the challenge comes from Lossiemouth, whom he has already defeated, but the argument can be made that she is in a better place now, and perhaps Constitution Hill is not.
This trip might suit her more than her rival, and the stage is set.
All things being equal, she will struggle to match the champion even in receipt of seven pounds with the mare's allowance.
It won’t be the final test of his career and surely not the hardest, but it’s properly needed, and racing needs a champion performance.
Aintree 16.05 – Foxhunters Chase
Selection: My Drogo - 1pt Each-Way @ 11/2 With Bet365
A great spectacle over the National course as the Hunter Chasers get a shot in the limelight.
My Drogo was a star in the making as a younger horse but sadly never fully reached the ceiling of undoubted ability displayed as a hurdler and novice chaser.
A Grade 1 horse who has reached the age of 10, he has been given a new lease of life as a hunter with Edward Walker.
He has had a point-to-point win this year and followed that up with an impressive victory at Haydock last month.
He will be very hard to beat if taking to the unique nature of the race and it’s fingers crossed for a safe passage under experienced Will Biddick.
The classiest horse in the race, there may be one more big day in the offing for connections.
Aintree 16.40 – Red Rum Handicap Chase
Selection 1: Petit Tonnerre 0.5pt Win @ 8/1 With Bet365
Very tough to land on a main selection for the competitive Red Rum, so siding with two makes some sense in search of a chance at the line.
Petit Tonnerre was brought down last time but finally landed a race in January after consistently catching the eye in several starts last year.
There should be more to come off this mark, and he is running off a nice weight.
Selection 2: Calico 0.5pt Win @ 10/1 With Bet365
Calico is ultra-consistent, if just slightly below Graded class, and always ensures an honest race is run with a front-running, attacking style of racing.
He might find one or two too good but is competitively treated to have on side.
My Mate Mozzie, Tommy's Oscar and Sans Bruit would all make a long, short list!
Aintree 17.15 – Nickel Coin Mares Bumper
Selection – No Bet Advised
The horse racing betting sites market may tell you what you need to know about the well-fancied Seo Linn from the Twomey yard closer to the off, and the five-year-old could prove a stand out in a race of this nature.
Clearly a race for the future, and next season in mind, so have the notebook ready and form some opinions for next year.
It's always a strong contest. There is no huge battalion of Willie Mullins runners to work out, so take a guess if you're already having a good day.
We will be back for more on Friday and Saturday.
