Aintree Tips Today: Road to Cheltenham's Best Bets for Day 1

The Grand National Festival is one of my favourite meetings of the year, especially if you head into Aintree off the back of a successful Cheltenham Festival.

The sun is usually shining and thousands of racing fans will be flocking to Merseyside for what should hopefully be one of the standout events of the jumps season.

Here, I’m going to look at each race on the opening day at Aintree’s 2026 Grand National Festival and hopefully we can land a winner or two to kickstart the meeting.

Boodles Anniversary 4-Y-O Juvenile Hurdle Tip

MANGE TOUT (5/1, 0.5pts E/W)

Connections opted to bypass the Triumph Hurdle with MANGE TOUT and that always seemed an obvious possibility, with Aintree’s flat track much more likely to suit her than the undulations of Cheltenham.

It looks a strong enough renewal on paper, with Willie Mullins bring Selma De Vary over and she is probably the biggest danger to my selection. The Gordon Elliott runner comes here fresh though and that may make the difference.

She was beaten fair and square by Selma De Vary at the Dublin Racing Festival but nicer ground could swing it back in Mange Tout’s favour. Plenty of Cheltenham runners line up here so it’ll be interesting to see how she stacks up against the Festival form.

William Hill Aintree Hurdle Tip

BRIGHTERDAYSAHEAD (2/1, 1PT WIN)

This looks to be a match between The New Lion and BRIGHTERDAYSAHEAD and I’m siding with the Gordon Elliott mare. She finished ahead of Dan Skelton’s runner in the Champion Hurdle and I’m hoping she can confirm that form on Thursday.

She won a Grade 1 novice hurdle at Aintree two years ago and conditions should be very much in her favour. While some believe she is a horse that needs soft ground, her better performances have come with the word ‘good’ in the going description.

A four-time winner at the top table, Brighterdaysahead can add a fifth Grade 1 success to her record before going over fences in the autumn. Of the others at bigger prices, the one I’d give a shoutout to is Alexei – he could be in the mix if he gets the trip.

Red Rum Handicap Chase Tips

HIGHLANDS LEGACY (8/1, 0.5pts E/W)

Tipped up by several shrewd judges prior to the Cheltenham Festival, Highlands Legacy was being aimed at the Grand Annual but was balloted out of the race. I’m hoping that he can gain compensation for that in the Red Rum Handicap Chase.

His Aintree run behind Mambonumberfive in November reads well, with several winners coming from that race. All three of his victories over obstacles have come at left-handed tracks and he looks a decent price given his form lines in four chase starts.

Now rated 133 over fences, I give him a real chance of being in the mix at the business end of the race and a strong pace to aim at will only enhance his claims. I’d be shocked to see him at his current price come the off and he’s a great each way play for me.

Mares' Standard Open Flat Race Tips

FAIRY PARK (16/1, 0.5pts E/W)

FAIRY PARK was beaten fair and square by Princess Day at Newbury the last day but I’m willing to take a flyer on Joe Tizzard’s mare getting much closer this time around. In fact, I’d go as far as to suggest that she may even reverse the form with a bit of luck.

Word from Newbury that day suggested that she would come on leaps and bounds for a run but connections needed to get one into her ahead of the spring. She was bang there before the petrol gauge emptied and you’d be hoping she will strip fitter for the run.

The yard hold this mare in very high regard and she is bred impeccably, being out of a half-sister to six winners, including five-time Grade 1 winner Bellshill. Big things are expected of her in the future but hopefully she can take this race in first.