Aintree Day 2 Tips: @RoadCheltenham Gives His Aintree Picks For Friday

It’s Ladies Day at Aintree and there’s always a fantastic atmosphere around the course on the Friday of the Grand National meeting. The first day has been and gone but we’ve still got two whole days to enjoy – including the feature race of the week!
However, we’ll leave the Grand National for now and focus instead on the seven races on Day 2 of the meeting. Without further ado, it’s time to get stuck into the action on the second day of the Aintree Grand National Festival.
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13:45 Aintree - Mildmay Novices' Chase
With the JP McManus-owned Corbetts Cross heading for the Aintree Bowl1, the famous green and gold silks will be represented by INOTHEWAYURTHINKIN and Iroko in the opener on Day 2. The former bolted up in the Kim Muir at Cheltenham, recording a RPR of 157, and he is a worthy favourite for me.
Lucinda Russell was on the fence with regards to GIOVINCO and his participation this week but he’s been declared and he interests me as an each way play. I thought he ran a cracking race in the Brown Advisory last month and he has Aintree form, having won here in November. I’m quietly confident he can run another big race.
14:20 Aintree - William Hill Handicap Hurdle
INTHEWATERSIDE carried a lofty reputation heading into the season but things haven’t quite gone to plan for him. Having said that, I wonder if a return to soft ground could be key to the Paul Nicholls runner – he won on a slow enough surface at Lingfield in January and he comes here fresh after skipping Cheltenham.
One who didn’t skip last month’s Festival but does have some nice form in the book is the Gordon Elliott-trained WHAT’S UP DARLING. He finished sixth in the Martin Pipe at Cheltenham and it looked like a warm renewal of that particular race. His form behind Lantry Lady looks solid enough and he can go well here.
14:55 Aintree - Top Novices' Hurdle
A small but select field go to post for this race and MYSTICAL POWER and FIREFOX – second and third in the Supreme Novices Hurdle – head the betting. However, it is a competitive race and five of the eight runners have a live chance. It looked like the former was coming to win at Cheltenham but he was outstayed and a return to a flat track looks sure to suit.
DYSART ENOS and GOLDEN ACE add an interesting dimension to the race, though I’m not entirely sure the former wants soft ground. Having said that, she boasts a record of six wins from six races under rules – including the Grade 2 Mares Bumper at last year’s meeting. She really is in the ‘could be anything’ category.
15:30 Aintree - Melling Chase
I’ve been waiting to see JONBON step up in trip for some time now and I’m expecting him to improve for it. A full brother to the legendary Douvan, the soft ground will be no problem and he’ll take some beating if he puts his best foot forward.
Gordon Elliott revealed on Tuesday that CONFLATED is likely to run here and he’s worth an each way play. He is a consistent enough type, running into the places at each of the previous two Cheltenham Festivals. He could run a big race if he copes with the step back in trip.
16:05 Aintree - Topham Chase
There was an antepost gamble on BILL BAXTER and it’s easy to see why. He won this race off a mark of 133 last year and he somehow runs off 134 this time around, having been dropped 9lbs for finishing down the field in his last four races. Can he ‘do a Langer Dan’ and go back-to-back in the Topham?
FRERO BANBOU is down to a dangerously low mark and I’ll be having an each way bet on him in this. He finished third in the Grand Sefton, a length or so clear of 2023 Welsh Grand National winner Nassalam. Venetia Williams had a winner on Monday and he is one I wouldn’t be ruling out.
16:40 Aintree - Sefton Novices' Hurdle
While the Gordon Elliott yard are hardly flying right now, I do like CROKE PARK for this race. He was lame after the Lawlor’s of Naas before a stone bruise kept him out of Cheltenham and I’d like to think he is capable of recording a second Graded success.
READIN TOMMY WRONG is a horse I’m willing to forgive after his disappointing run at Cheltenham and I’d say he left his race at home. The vibes were strong ahead of the Albert Bartlett but he never got going and was pulled up, though nothing was found after the race. He could bounce back here.
17:15 Aintree - Alder Hey Handicap Hurdle
PIKAR has been off the track for almost a year but it would be typical of Dan Skelton to get one primed for a big pot on his comeback run. This is a horse that went off a 9/4 favourite for a Betfair Hurdle off a mark of 130 and just three runs later he is running off a BHA mark of 127. The booking of Fergus Gillard is a big plus.
Another one I like the look of is AFADIL for Paul Nicholls. Freddie Gingell’s handy 5lbs claim means he essentially runs off 125 and his fifth behind Absurde in the County Hurdle reads well. The trainer mentioned this race as a target for him after winning at Musselburgh in February and he will be seeing my money.