Check out our Aintree day one lucky 15 tips ahead of the opening day of the Grand National meeting. There will be SIX races live on ITV Racing, so see our best bets for Thursday.
Six Races To Be Shown Live On ITV Racing From Aintree On Opening Day
The opening day of the Aintree Grand National festival is always a cracker and there will be six races shown live on ITV Racing.
And if you’re wanting to follow the final race of the day, well that can be watched on Racing TV and any betting app.
Coverage on Thursday kicks off with the Anniversary Hurdle for juveniles.
The final race shown live on ITV this Thursday will be the Red Rum Handicap Chase which has been won by Sans Bruit in the last two seasons.
See the full ITV Racing Schedule below.
- 1:45 Aintree – Boodles Anniversary 4-Y-O Juvenile Hurdle (Grade 1, 2m1f)
- 2:20 Aintree – William Hill Manifesto Novices’ Chase (Grade 1, 2m4f)
- 2:55 Aintree – Racing Welfare Bowl Chase (Grade 1, 3m1f)
- 3:30 Aintree – Randox Foxhunters’ Open Hunters’ Chase (Class 2, 2m5f)
- 4:05 Aintree – William Hill Aintree Hurdle (Grade 1, 2m4f)
- 4:40 Aintree – Close Brothers Red Rum Handicap Chase (Class 1, 2m)
Aintree Lucky 15 Tips On Opening Day – Best Bets For ITV Racing
With a smashing card on Thursday, check out our Aintree Lucky 15 tips for the action on opening day where I give me four best bets.. I’ll be playing an each-way Lucky 15.
Also, see Andy Newton’s best bets for the action for all SIX races live on ITV Racing.
1:45 Aintree – Anniversary 4-Y-O Juvenile Hurdle (Grade 1, 2m1f): MANGE TOUT
MANGE TOUT skipped the Cheltenham Festival after getting beaten at the Dublin Racing Festival but before that blip she was unbeaten under rules.
It was desperate ground at Leopardstown that day and she bumped into Narciso Has who bolted up – although she had beaten him before.
I think Mange Tout is a very attractive price here in the opener at Aintree. I’m hoping a return to better ground and a weak renewal of the Anniversary can help her to get her head back in-front.
She arrives fresher than most of her rivals and I wouldn’t particularly be a fan of the Triumph Hurdle form at Cheltenham and I’d say she’s a better horse than both Minella Study and Maestro Conti.
I’m taking Mange Tout to reverse the DRF form with Selma De Vary and provide Gordon Elliott with a welcome winner in the meeting opener.
3:30 Aintree – Foxhunters’ Open Hunters’ Chase (Class 2, 2m5f): ITS ON THE LINE
ITS ON THE LINE came second by a neck in the Hunters’ Chase for a second year in a row at Cheltenham last month and I’m taking him to repay the loyal punters that stuck by him here.
He won this race in 2024 but over four lengths and he still seems to be at the top of his game despite being a nine-year-old now.
Emmet Mullins won the Irish Grand National on Easter Monday with Soldier In Milan and I’m confident he’ll have another big day on Thursday and retain his Foxhunters’ crown.
He does have to reverse the Cheltenham form with Barton Snow but I think winning course and distance form will play into Its On The Line’s hands.
4:05 Aintree – Aintree Hurdle (Grade 1, 2m4f): ALEXEI
ALEXEI was unlucky not to get closer to Lossiemouth in the Champion Hurdle and barring a final flight blunder he could have got up for second.
He’s versatile ground wise and won’t mind dry conditions once again. Two-and-a-half miles seems a good call, even if he’ll be campaigned for a Champion Hurdle again next season.
Sure, he’s got to reverse the form with The New Lion and Brighterdaysahead but I think the race could set up perfectly for him. The front two in the market will likely be battling for the lead and if they set a fast pace then Alexei could track them and pounce late on.
He stays 2m3f so shouldn’t have any issues going back up in distance. Every chance of recording his fourth win of the season.
4:40 Aintree – Red Rum Handicap Chase (Class 1, 2m): HIGHLANDS LEGACY
HIGHLANDS LEGACY has been running really well this season with form figures of 1-2-2-1 since he started his campagin in October.
And it’s the form of his close Aintree second in November that sticks out to me. He was beaten by the progressive Mambonumberfive who went on to win a Grade 2 and also contests the Grade 1 Manifesto Novices’ Chase earlier on in the card.
Highlands Legacy has been kept fresh for this and was last seen beating two of today’s rivals in a decent handicap at Windsor.
I’m willing to take on Sans Bruit as I don’t think he’ll win this race for a third year in a row and Highlands Legacy is probably the most progressive runner in the field.
He has ran with great credit on his only other start at Aintree and this seems to have been the plan for a while.
This selection completes our Aintree Lucky 15 tips on day one.
Aintree Lucky 15 Tips On Opening Day Of Grand National Meeting
- 1:45 – Mange Tout @ 5/1
- 3:30 – Its On The Line @ 9/2
- 4:05 – Alexei @ 9/1
- 4:40 – Highlands Legacy @ 8/1
Placing a 50p each-way Lucky 15 (total £15) on our selections would return just over £2,500.
What Is A Lucky 15?
A lucky 15 is a popular multiple bet that can cover the bases of four selections whilst just staking small.
In horse racing, it involves four selections amounting to 15 individual bets. The bet is four singles, six doubles, four trebles and one four-fold acca.
