Horse racing tips: Grand National Festival – Templegate’s top picks for day one of Aintree and the rest of Thursday’s racing
The Grand National Festival comes under the spotlight as Templegate gives you his best bets for a thrilling day of racing
AINTREE
1.45
PLAY the Name game for the Big Bucks’ Manifesto Novices’ Chase.
There’s an unusually large four-week gap between Cheltenham and Aintree this year but it won’t have done CYRNAME any harm to have swerved the Festival.
He bolted up in the Wayward Lad Chase at Kempton over Christmas and bettered that effort when a neck runner-up behind Terrefort in the Scilly Isles at Sandown.
That was his first race at 2m4f over fences and it was great to see him coming back for more after making the running. Considering Terrefort went on to finish second in the JLT at Cheltenham the form stacks up nicely.
Brain Power was runner-up behind easy Arkle winner Footpad at Cheltenham but that doesn’t tell the whole story.
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There was only five runners and Petit Mouchoir and Saint Calvados went off stupidly fast. That set things up nicely for patiently-ridden Brain Power but he still couldn’t get close to Footpad.
His two previous starts when he failed to complete the course prompted trainer Nicky Henderson to send him for a breathing operation to try to unlock his obvious potential.
2.20 Aintree - We Have A Dream: 'Looked good when rattling up a four-timer'
2.50 Aintree - Might Bite: 'If he's recovered from his Gold Cup second he will win'
3.25 Aintree - Supasundae: 'I've no doubt he sets the standard'
4.05 Aintree - Grand Vision: 'Testing ground isn't a worry and he's a brilliant jumper'
4.40 Aintree - Bentelimar: 'Run some really good races since joining Charlie Longsdon'
5.15 Aintree - Posh Trish: 'She can make her experience count today'
2.50
MIGHT BITE should get his teeth into the Betway Bowl.
The King George hero came off second best in an epic Gold Cup duel with Native River at Cheltenham.
If the ground had not been so testing there’s a fair chance he would have been successful and today’s shorter trip is certainly in his favour.
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4.05
GRAND VISION looks the one to be on in the Foxhunters.
2.20 Aintree - We Have A Dream: 'Looked good when rattling up a four-timer'
2.50 Aintree - Might Bite: 'If he's recovered from his Gold Cup second he will win'
3.25 Aintree - Supasundae: 'I've no doubt he sets the standard'
4.05 Aintree - Grand Vision: 'Testing ground isn't a worry and he's a brilliant jumper'
4.40 Aintree - Bentelimar: 'Run some really good races since joining Charlie Longsdon'
5.15 Aintree - Posh Trish: 'She can make her experience count today'
5.15
SPICE up the mares’ bumper with a bet on POSH TRISH.
She made a winning debut for Paul Nicholls when awarded a race won by Grageelagh Girl over today’s course and distance in October.
She got the better of Grageelagh Girl fair and square at Cheltenham the following month before running down the field in a red-hot Ascot bumper.
It was a decent effort trying to give weight away to some smart rivals at Sandown last time and she should make her experience count.
Getaway Katie Mai won nicely on her debut before chasing home subsequent Champion Bumper winner Relegate at Leopardstown.
That’s clearly smart form but the market might have overreacted.
Midnightreferendum, Meep Meep and Dunhallow Gesture are others to look out for.
AINTREE
1.45 Cyrname (nap)
2.20 We Have A Dream
2.50 Might Bite
3.25 Supasundae (treble)
4.05 Grand Vision
4.40 Bentelimar (nb)
5.15 Posh Trish
CHELMSFORD
5.45 Harperelle
6.15 Medici Banchiere
6.45 Commander Han
7.15 Kyllachy Gala
7.45 Zac Brown
8.15 Raffle King
8.45 Betjeman
SOUTHWELL
1.55 Gleaming Sun
2.30 Victory Wave
3.00 Nuns Walk
3.35 Zylan
4.15 Kingstreet Lady
4.50 Amadeus
5.25 Da Capo Dandy
TAUNTON
2.10 Tierra Verde
2.40 Blu Cavalier
3.15 Lucktime
3.55 Le Coeur Net
4.30 Risk And Roll
5.05 Fly West
5.35 Mark’s Folly