Aintree Festival 2025: Race By Race Guide For Day 2
It’s another great day of racing at Aintree on Grand National week.
While anticipation builds for the big race on Saturday, Friday's racing consists of four more Grade 1 contests and a very competitive supporting card.
After finding impressive winner Impaire Et Passe yesterday at 5/2 and placed efforts from Calico and My Drogo, we head into Friday with decent form in the book.
If following any of today's selections, be sure to check out our recommended best betting sites first and see what specials and offers are available.
Aintree 13.45 – Mildmay Novices’ Chase
Selection: Dancing City - 1pt Win @ 11/4 With Bet365
You have to respect the improving Handstands for Ben Pauling, but conditions might not suit ideally for the sternest test faced to date for the 6-year-old.
Caldwell Potter was exceptional at Cheltenham and now puts that step forward to the test.
However, Dancing City is taken to bounce back to form after a poor run at Cheltenham when it seemed everyone knew it wouldn’t be a good day.
Previous efforts put them ahead of the field, and Paul Townend is back on board.
A small bet is advised at the current prices on offer.
Aintree 14.20 – William Hill Handicap Hurdle
Selection: Impose Toi - 1pt Each-Way @ 7/1 With Bet365
It's rare that a horse with so little form on offer in the UK can go off at such short prices for two of the most competitive races on the calendar.
Kopeck De Mee looks like he will be doing that in this race following a blowout at Cheltenham on debut for Willie Mullins.
If you take the chance, it’s brave at cramped odds.
Impose Toi is the standard bearer. He was unlucky to meet a better-handicapped horse when running a big race at Cheltenham, and I have the feeling that a 4lbs rise for that is on the lenient side.
He should relish this and always saves a little bit for himself.
This quick turnaround probably isn’t an issue, and he looks like a rock-solid each-way play with betting apps.
Check out how racing experts Dean Ryan and Diarmuid Nolan assess and rank every horse set to race in Saturday's Grand National in the video below:
Aintree 14.55 – Top Novices' Hurdle
Selection: Romeo Coolio - No Bet Advised
Romeo Coolio should be able to confirm a big effort in the Supreme at Cheltenham and take this Grade 1 at Aintree.
It is interesting that Salvator Mundi has another go.
He could yet prove that his Cheltenham run was below par and produce better now, but outside of him, Tripoli Flyer is on a roll and the most likely danger.
It is not a great betting race with the cramped odds offered by horse racing betting sites.
I am happy to take a watching brief rather than a tight price.
Aintree 15.30 – Melling Chase
Selection: Jonbon – No Bet Advised
Redemption awaits for Jonbon after a disastrous effort at Cheltenham when perhaps all hope was lost at the start.
Rightly, odds on to collect here, and only a full return to the best form from El Fabiolo would worry favourite backers.
This is another race to watch, and hopefully, Nicky Henderson and Nico de Boinville will be able to get their stable star home in front after a tough recent spell!
Aintree 16.05 – Topham Chase
Selection 1: James Du Berlais - 1pt Each-Way @ 7/1 With Bet365
Selection 2: Gentleman De Mee - 0.5pts Win @ 33/1 With Bet365
You have to think James Du Berlais was a touch unlucky last year in this race, but bad beats do seem to follow the 9-year-old around after looking very smart in the early salvos over fences.
He returns to the scene of the mugging off 1lb less and is a big player once more, this time with JJ Slevin in the plate.
It could be a Willie Mullins-dominated podium with Blue Lord, Glengouly and the spring horse Gentlemen De Mee, others to add to the list.
The latter is one that might outrun huge odds and is worth a small saver on the day if the sun and the spring air make a difference as it has in the past for tougher assignments.
Aintree 16.40 – Sefton Novices' Hurdle
Selection: Califet En Vol - 1pt Win @ 7/2 With Bet365
The 6-year-old Califet En Vol could be a very nice horse in the making and looks to have been well placed here to avoid Cheltenham and pick up a weaker Grade 1 than would have been the case there.
He bumped into The New Lion this season at Newbury but dispatched everything else on debut and was good without being hassled at Huntingdon in February.
There is a lot of potential in the field, but the step up in trip and progression from the likely market leader makes him a standout option.
Aintree 17.15 – Handicap Hurdle
Selection: Washington – 0.75pts Each-Way @ 20/1 With Bet365
I can see likely favourite Hamsiyann being hugely popular for the finale on Friday and with good reason.
He is fresh from a break since letting down the gamble at Musselburgh, but he runs off the same mark here and has a good pilot booked.
The one to chance at a big price is Washington, who has been very good in new hands with Harry Derham.
He can put a nothing run behind him here under Conor Stone-Walsh - a jockey destined for big things.
Since switching from Olly Murphy to Paul Nicholls and now Derham, he has won at Chepstow and Fairyhouse this term, and his handicap mark still has a little bit of room left.
It's a hugely competitive race to end the day, so small stakes are advised with the Grand National to come tomorrow!
