Aintree Festival Day One Tips: Buveur D’Air and Kemboy to get back to winning ways?
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Odds and preview for Grand National Thursday
We’re in for a thrilling day of racing as the Grand National Festival begins, with a seven-race card to look forward to.
The Betway Bowl and Aintree Chase are two of the four Grade 1 races to enjoy, with plenty more great racing on the card too. And we’ve got tips for all of the action…
La Bague Au Roi could be the one to beat in the Aintree curtain-raiser, especially after Defi Du Seuil was ruled out.
The popular mare swerved Cheltenham, but she comes into this in great shape.
Warren Greatrex’s star has won each of her last four races, including a Flogas Novice Chase triumph at Leopardstown last time out.
The Betway Bowl is shaping up to be a cracker, with Clan Des Obeaux, Kemboy, Bristol De Mai and Road To Respect all vying for victory.
But Kemboy will be looking to respond after stumbling at the first in the Gold Cup last month. Willie Mullins’ runner was expected to be a major contender at Cheltenham, coming into the meet in red-hot form, only to unseat David Mullins.
With Ruby Walsh in the saddle this time, the seven-year-old should be raring to go here.
Buveur D’Air is another who didn’t run as well as expected at Cheltenham, but that hasn’t stopped our traders from making him favourite in the Aintree Hurdle.
It’s not hard to see why he leads the betting. Nicky Henderson’s gelding won the 2017 renewal and was first past the post in 12 of his 13 races before Cheltenham, with the only stumble a second-placed finish to Verdana Blue at Kempton in December.
Verdana Blue poses an outside threat here, with Melon and Faugheen among the front-runners, though the fresh legs of Buveur D’Air could see him return to winning ways.
Grand National Day 1 Tips:
1:45pm Devenish Manifesto Novices’ Steeple Chase – La Bague Au Roi
2:20pm Doom Bar Anniversary 4YO Juvenile Hurdle – Pentland Hills
2:50pm Betway Bowl Steeple Chase – Kemboy
3:25pm Aintree Hurdle – Buveur D’Air
4:05pm Randox Health Foxhubters’ Steeple Chase – Burning Ambition
4:40pm Close Brothers Red Rum Handicap Steeple Chase – Brelan D’As
5:15pm Goffs UK Nickel Coin Mares’ Standard Open NH Flat – Misty Whisky
All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing
