Grand National Tips: Architect's Aintree Each-Way Lucky 15

The Aintree Hurdle (15.30pm), the feature race on the opening day of the three-day meeting on Thursday, could see Champion Hurdle second and third - Epatante and Zanahiyr battle once more, while Glory And Fortune, who caught the eye in fifth behind the formerly-mentioned pair at Cheltenham, is a possible participant.

The one I like, however, who will arrive at Aintree a fresher horse than most is last year’s impressive Triumph Hurdle winner QUILIXIOS. Henry De Bromhead’s two-time Grade 1-winning juvenile has seen the backend of Teahupoo in all three starts this term, but the combination of heavy ground (twice) and his seasonal reappearance are reasons to give him the benefit of the doubt.

I know he hasn’t won since last year’s Cheltenham Festival, but he was visually impressive in the manner in which he quickened away from the likes of Adagio and Zanahiyr on that occasion and whichever way you look at this race, he’s overpriced. Besides Nicky Henderson’s two-time Champion Hurdle winners, he’s won more Grade 1’s than the field combined and, with the step up in trip likely to signal improvement and with connections deciding to bypass Cheltenham in favour of a trip to Liverpool, the five-year-old should go very well here.

Onto the Randox Foxhunters' Open Hunters' Chase (16.05pm) on Thursday and PORLOCK BAY has been targeted at this race all season by trainer Will Biddick. On just his second start in the UK, he tackled the Hunters Chase at the Cheltenham Festival and having jumped and travelled noticeably well throughout, he showed a willing attitude to fend off Billaway in the latter stages and take the spoils.

The runner-up advertised the form by taking this year’s renewal as connections of the former decided to bypass a repeat bid in order to tackle this event at Aintree instead. The 11-year-old ticks a lot of boxes for this event and his assured jumping and smooth travelling style of racing should really suit around this course. A lot of the market leaders had a hard race last time and while he was ultimately turned over at Bangor when last spotted, that should have put him spot on for this race and therefore gets the vote to make an impact at quite a generous price with improvement forthcoming. 

The big one of the weekend, the Randox Grand National Handicap Chase (17.15pm) on Saturday, and the ultra-consistent ENJOY DALLEN has to merit consideration. His form figures over fences to date reads an impressive 3222112233, while his only attempt over a marathon trip, resulted with an excellent third in last year’s Irish National.

He warmed up for this with a spin over hurdles last-time-out, finishing fifth of 23 which came after a good third in a high-quality renewal of the Paddy Power Chase over the Christmas period. The assessor, on British soil, has given him a mark of 148, which is effectively only 3Ib higher than his Irish mark and he looks set to carry a low-weight too.

He should be well-suited to this stamina test coupled with these unique fences. There’s plenty to like about him and he should be equipped for this tougher test with his confirmed stamina likely to come into significant effect at the business end if he’s within striking distance at the elbow in the colours of JP McManus for the first time. 

The Dan Skelton-trained SPIRITOFTHEGAMES fits the profile for this event. He’s become dangerously well-treated off a mark of 136 whilst still running to a high level of form on the back of two solid placed efforts at Cheltenham. 

He previously finished a neck-second in the Caspian Caviar Gold Cup off 146, second in a Paddy Power Gold Cup behind Coole Cody off 148 and a sixth in the Brown Advisory & Merriebelle Stable Plate Handicap Chase at the Cheltenham Festival off 149 once upon a time.

Furthermore, the 10-year-old has placed the last two times in another couple of highly-competitive events at Cheltenham off this sort of mark and was also placed at last year’s Grand National meeting in the Betway Handicap Chase, in which he finished third off 8lbs lighter. 

He is likely to get into this event off a nice weight and Harry Skelton is likely to be in the saddle too. There’s plenty to like about him for this as his assured jumping and smooth travelling style of racing should enable him to be extremely competitive if he takes to the fences.