Grand National Day 1: Runners, Latest Odds and Tips for Opening Day

The Grand National is the feature race of the Festival on Saturday, but before that we have Thursday’s action to get stuck into at Aintree as the party kicks off. There are a myriad of offers to get stuck into, with BoyleSports offering customers £20 in free bets when joining up here and placing a £10 bet.

Runners and Best Odds for Grand National Day 1

Some of the best runners in Britain and Ireland are clashing at Aintree on Day 1 as a stunning card of action brings us four Grade 1s in a row to kick things off. Below we list some of the runners, the race they are taking part in, their best odds at the time of writing the bookmaker to back them with:

2024 Grand National Favourites - Thursday 11th April  

On Opening Day of the Grand National Festival at Aintree, there are a host of favourites in with a shout. Below we list a few and assess their chances:

Manifesto Novices’ Chase

GREY DAWNING won the Turners at Cheltenham last time out, beating the re-opposing Ginnys Destiny fair and square and he heads the market for the opening race the Manifesto Novices’ Chase. He is definitely the one to beat.

Anniversary 4YO Hurdle

SIR GINO was all the rage for the Triumph Hurdle at Cheltenham before being withdrawn from the race due to his trainer’s poor form, but this is a golden opportunity for the Henderson star to bounce back. He could be one of the bankers of Day 1.

Aintree Bowl

GERRI COLOMBE comes here on the back of a fine second place in the Cheltenham Gold Cup and that is probably the best bit of form anything brings into the race. Shishkin will be a worthy opponent if he is back to full fitness following missing Cheltenham as one of Henderson’s withdrawals, while Ahoy Senor has a fine record at Aintree but has not run a good race all season thus far.

Aintree Hurdle

Bob Olinger was the favourite for this race antepost, but one of the strongest market moves has been for IMPAIRE ET PASSE of Willie Mullins and now he tops the market. He has struggled this season after looking a world beater as a novice, but should love this flat track and soft ground so rates a strong favourite.

Aintree Hunters’ Chase

Another horse who finished second at the Cheltenham Festival and is now a favourite at Aintree is ITS ON THE LINE. He ran a fine race at Cheltenham but he will have had to work hard and although he is the market leader here, he could be one of the more vulnerable favourites of the day with Spyglass Hill well fancied to upset him.

Red Rum Handicap Chase

In one of the most competitive races on Opening Day at the Aintree Grand National Festival, SANS BRUIT has usurped SAINT ROI into favourite in some places. The former is an ex classy French horse who has headed to Paul Nicholls and now looks very well weighted, while the latter is a perennial handicap plot job but looks to have plenty in his favour on a low mark.

Aintree Mares’ Bumper

BABY KATE is a daughter of the high class Augusta Kate and is fancied to win the last race of Opening Day as favourite for Willie and Patrick Mullins. She has some decent Irish form behind her and the team do wonderfully with this sort of mare, but she will have a tough race on the ground and with good rivals like Honky Tonk Highway the second favourite.

Grand National Opening Day Tips

@RoadCheltenham has penned his through the card thoughts, with a tip in each race, on Opening Day at the 2024 Aintree Grand National Festival. See who he is siding with below: