The three-day Grand National Festival gets underway on Thursday with the Aintree Bowl Chase and the Aintree Hurdle as the highlights.
The 3 mile 1 furlong Aintree Bowl has much quality with four of the six runners having raced in the Cheltenham Gold Cup last month.
Bravemansgame was runner-up to Galopin Des Champs that day and is the 3.50 favourite with William Hill this time.
※ Current Odds Date & Time: April 12th, 3:30 P.M. (BST)
A win for Bravemansgame would make it three-in-a-row for trainer Paul Nicholls and jockey Harry Cobden, who were triumphant with Clan Des Obeaux in 2021 and 2022.
Pulled up in the Gold Cup was its 2022 winner A Plus Tard; the 9-year-old is a 5.00 shot to get back to winning ways this time.
He also failed to get round in the Lancashire Chase at Haydock, his only other outing since the Gold Cup win. Rachael Blackmore takes her usual ride.
Ahoy Senor was in the mix in the Gold Cup before falling with five to jump. He stands a good chance at 6.50 if he can stay upright and was a winner in a Grade 1 Novices Chase in this meeting last year.
2022 Aintree Bowl runner-up Conflated is 7.50 this time, having run a huge race to finish third at the Gold Cup at 23.00 for Gordon Elliott.
Separating the Gold Cup veterans is Shishkin (4.00), who was second at Cheltenham but in the shorter Ryanair Chase. A winner of five Grade 1s, the 9-year-old has never run over more than 3 miles before.
Ga Law (41.00) was fifth in the Ryanair and is not expected to challenge tomorrow.
Unlike the Bowl, the 2-and-a-half mile Aintree Hurdle has a clear favourite in what is also a six-horse contest, with the all-conquering Constitution Hill looking for a sixth-straight Grade 1 triumph.
He is 1.12 with William Hill having won the Champion Hurdle by 9 lengths a month ago, adding to Christmas Hurdle and Supreme Novices Hurdle wins among others.
※ Current Odds Date & Time: April 12th, 3:30 P.M. (BST)
Nothing should stop the Nico de Boinville-ridden and Nicky Henderson-trained 6-year-old, but if Constitution Hill is beaten, Henderson could still be celebrating as he has the 15.00 second favourite, Epatante.
Epatante and Aidan Coleman are looking for a repeat of their victory in this race last year. Since, she has twice finished runner-up to Constitution Hill but disappointed last time out when eighth in the Mares’ Hurdle at Cheltenham.
Also at 15.00 is Zanahiyr who shocked everyone to finish third in the Champion Hurdle at 67.00, while two-time Matheson Hurdle winner Sharjah is at 23.00.
I Like To Move It (29.00) was only sixth in the Champion but seems to have a good run after each bad one recently, while Sceau Royal is a better horse than his 51.00 price suggests.
