The Tipping Tim’s Aintree Thursday betting blog

I’m back from my wedding, honeymoon and, unless I find a winner soon, divorce just in time for the 2013 Grand National festival at Aintree, and there are two days of top class jumping to get stuck into before the big one on Saturday.

I always like to chance some rags at Liverpool in the hope that Cheltenham has left its mark on the shorties, and the first stab in the dark this year is Hefner in the Juvenile Hurdle at 2.00. It’s unclear whether this beast is named after Walthamstow’s finest purveyors of indie folk or Chicago’s finest purveyor of soft pornography but, having been a fan of both in my younger days, the name jumps off the page tomorrow. He was a decent flat horse for Richard Hannon and beat subsequent winners on his timber debut for Kim Bailey, and looks the type to out-run big odds on Thursday. Flaxen Flare was so ridiculously impressive at Cheltenham that he might have left his race behind and the Triumph also-rans don’t look much cop.

Silviniaco Conti probably wins the 2.30 but is short enough, so the next tip is The New One in the 3.05. Everyone got carried away with Our Conor at Cheltenham but, despite the Triumph winner oozing class, for me The New One looked the most likely future Champion Hurdler on show last month. This is a big test for a novice but, with the old guard looking a bit exposed now, I expect Nigel Twiston-Davies to be rewarded for his bold campaigning.

For the Day 1 Trixie I will retain my faith in Hollow Tree in the 5.25. I fancied him at Cheltenham and, having never really travelled, he actually ran ok to plod on into 11th. This test might be more his cup of tea and I will be going in again each way tomorrow.

Good luck with all your bets tomorrow!