It's Ladies Day at Aintree on Friday 12th April and over 60,000 horse racing fans are expected to descend on Merseyside for the second day of the Grand National meeting.
The horse racing odds for Friday's races are in and declarations have been made but who is going to be celebrating in the winner's enclosure on Day 2 at Aintree? Steve Mullington makes his selections ahead of Friday's action.
If you are looking specifically for a Grand National pinstickers guide to the 2024 renewal, then we have you covered. Otherwise, scroll down for Steve's best Aintree Day 2 tips!
Aintree Day 2 Races And Times
| Time | Race |
|---|---|
| 1.45pm | Mildmay Novices’ Chase (Grade 1) |
| 2.20pm | William Hill Handicap Hurdle |
| 2.55pm | Trustatrader Top Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 1) |
| 3.30pm | My Pension Expert Melling Chase (Grade 1) |
| 4.05pm | Topham Handicap Chase |
| 4.40pm | Sefton Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 1) |
| 5.15pm | Lydiate Handicap Hurdle (Conditional Jockeys & Amateur riders) |
With four Grade 1 races on the Friday and the Topham Handicap Chase over the famous Grand National fences, it is a super competitive day of racing and one that should prove to be very exciting indeed.
Aintree Tips Day 2
1.45pm Mildmay Novices’ Chase (3m1f)
Identified in some quarters as a future Grand National winner, Broadway Boy (NAP) can give Team Twiston-Davies a welcome Aintree winner on day two of the Grand National Festival.
Nigel Twiston-Davies’ six-year-old is primed and ready for this assignment after missing out on the Cheltenham Festival.
Kicking off his season over fences in September, he won at the first time of asking and then impressed with a trio of top runs at Cheltenham’s stand alone meetings.
He finished second to Flooring Porter over three miles and half a furlong in October before returning to the same venue to win a Listed contest over the same trip and a competitive handicap over three miles and two. It will be a major surprise if he doesn’t go well today.
The biggest threat on paper appears to be from Chianti Classico who lifted the Ultima at the Festival.
2.20pm William Hill Handicap Hurdle (2m4f)
The Olly Murphy-trained Go Dante (NAP) was the narrow winner of the 2m Imperial Cup at Sandown and this step back up to 2m4f will suit him down to a tee.
Owned by Barbara Hester, her well known pink striped colours have been carried to success at Aintree on previous occasions and the booking of Sean Bowen is a definite plus.
Of the others, Santos Blue (20/1) is an interesting outsider. He won in testing going at Uttoxeter a month ago, Ben Sutton is the son of the owner, and Dan Skelton is going for the trainer’s championship - a cocktail for success maybe?
2.55pm Top Novices’ Hurdle (2m1f)
Friday could well turn out to be a superb afternoon for jockey Sam Twiston-Davies as the six-year-old runner Lump Sum (NAP) is quietly fancied in this Novices’ Hurdle.
Trained by Sam Thomas for Walters Plant Hire, Lump Sum has had a successful season thus far, winning a couple of hurdle races at Ffos Las and Wincanton, then finishing runner-up in the Grade 2 Rossington Hurdle at Doncaster, before landing the Grade 2 Dovecote at Lingfield Park.
At the time of writing Lump Sum looks rather generous at 14/1 and he’s worth an each-way flutter.
The unbeaten mare Dysart Enos also comes into the equation, as does Mystical Power for Willie Mullins.
3.30pm Melling Chase (2m4f)
The Paul Nicholls-trained Pic D’Orhy (NAP) landed this two-and-a-half-mile Grade One twelve months ago and has deliberately been saved for the defence of his crown since scoring in the Ascot Chase in February.
This track suits him really well, with it being flat and left-handed and he holds a favourites chance.
Gordon Elliott’s Conflated runs in this race rather than the Grand National where he was due to shoulder top weight. Third last time in the Ryanair Chase at Cheltenham, the ten-year-old may well have got his racing mojo back.
4.05pm Topham Chase (2m5f)
After seeing Grandads Cottage come home successfully at Wetherby in December 2022, I was of the view then that he might make into a Topham type in due course.
Since that Wetherby victory he has been in the winner’s enclosure twice more with his best result coming in Leicester’s feature chase on 31st January. Sean Bowen takes the ride and I can see this John Hales-owned nine-year-old running extremely well.
Of the others The Edgar Wallace looks a silly price at odds of 33/1, while Good Boy Bobby thrives on heavy going as he showed in the 2021 Rowland Meyrick at Wetherby.
4.40pm Sefton Novices' Hurdle (3m½f)
The Jukebox Man for Ben Pauling has been loving the heavy going all season and looks the logical pick in this Sefton Novices’.
Runner-up in the Albert Bartlett at the Cheltenham Festival, you really cannot fault the resolution of this Harry Redknapp-owned six-year-old and he’s looking like a decent bet.
Those looking for a big each-way stinger in our live betting may want to think about Rebecca Curtis’ Haiti Couleurs who ground out a result at Chepstow last time.
5.15pm Lydiate Handicap Hurdle (2m½f)
The Stuart Crawford-trained Brucio was brought down at the first flight in Kelso’s Premier Novices’ Hurdle –a race he was quite well fancied for.
The six-year-old has had a 41-day break since and he should be raring to go in the well known double green colours of Munir/Souede.
NB- Go Dante may well run in this race rather than the 2.20pm. Whichever race connections opt for, he’s in with a sound chance.
*Credit for the photos in this article belongs to Alamy*
