Friday horse racing tips: Best bets at Aintree Grand National Festival Day 2 from Tom Lunn
Yesterday at 08:38 AM
talkSPORT have you covered with free horse racing tips and free bets on Friday’s fixtures at Aintree for Day 2 of the Grand National Festival.
Tom Lunn has gone through the cards, form, going and much more to help guide your horse racing betting choices.
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Friday horse racing tips
- AINTREE
1.45: Handstands 15/8 (1pt)
2.20: Wade Out 7/1 Each-way (1pt) & Brentford Hope 33/1 Each-way (1pt)
2.55: Tripoli Flyer 7/2 (1pt)
3.30: Jonbon 4/6 (3pts)
4.05: Bad 12/1 each-way (0.5pt)
4.40: Califet En Vol 4/1 (1.5pts)
5.15: Celtic Dino 10/1 each-way (1.5pts)
Handstands
Aintree does not disappoint this year and the first race of Friday sees another thrilling contest.
Caldwell Potter makes a quick return after storming home to win at Cheltenham Festival to claim the Golden Miller Novices’ Chase in some style.
It showed that he could be well suited to this step up in trip, but as always a return from Cheltenham demands a lot.
Handstands has beaten Jango Baie twice before which has obviously worked out very well form-wise, won at 3m and looks set to continue his solid form of six wins from eight under rules here.
He’s versatile ground-wise too which is always a bonus round here making him tough to side against.
Dancing City is interesting returning from a disappointing sixth place at Cheltenham where he just looked to not enjoy things.
His record and previous form suggests that is certainly just a rare run having gone into the race with four straight wins, each of which were very impressive.
He’s still very unexposed over fences and deserves another chance.
That said, Handstands is the clear pick of the bunch even at the shortest price.
Wade Out & Brentford Hope
22 runners are set for the 2m4f Handicap Hurdle a Class 1 contest that sees a range of top-rated horses mostly from the age of five to seven.
It’s a race that’s set to suit these ages too with a few unexposed horses looking to make the most of a low mark which gives them the edge in the weights.
The lower their rating compared to their actual ability should mean that with a good run, they can win this nicely or at least be amongst the places for a decent each-way return.
There’s also a fair few runners who could be set to thrive over this distance with many top two milers stepping up to this 2m4f for the very first time.
One of those is Brentford Hope a very strong hurdler for trainer Harry Derham, yet is a huge 33/1 shot.
He’s placed 2nd SEVEN times in 16 hurdle contests and won as many as five.
Wasn’t himself by the looks of it twice this season but did like the challenge up against Constitution Hill, though was comfortably beaten even if it was only three lengths.
He can come alive at this time of year and should like the ground with more watering.
Wade Out is a much shorter price but needs to be considered.
This is a horse who went well behind Celtic Dino at Ascot in November, won twice since and looks solid on both good and soft ground.
He’s one that has proven form over this far but is still very dangerously unexposed and looks very dangerously weighted for his handicap debut.
Tripoli Flyer
Romeo Coolio sets the standard after a decent showing in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle for Gordon Elliott.
Has something to prove as the favourite though with two wins from four but does look clear of the rest.
However, they’re all still novices and may not have shown their hand yet.
Tripoli Flyer looks a tough opponent on the back of three straight wins and is fresher having bypassed Cheltenham.
I think he’s a great price for a yard in incredible form along with a jockey with a brilliant strike-rate.
Jonbon
A shocking mistake took him out of the race at Cheltenham Festival in the Champion Chase.
Just as I thought he’d turned a corner with making proper progress with his jumping.
But he still has and it was just like Constitution Hill, where one mistake that costs the race shouldn’t define the career.
It does need to be said that placing second after that was still quite impressive but stood no choice
He’s capable of winning this comfortably if back to his best quickly after Cheltenham.
The Nicky Henderson-trained horse has 12 wins in just 15 races and should win this.
Bad
30 runners are set to lineup for this Topham Handicap Chase, which sees them take on the Grand National course and obstacles.
This horse is largely consistent minus two blips at Sandown and a fall at Ascot in January.
But the blinkers seemed to have sorted things out in that regard and he’s won twice in a row at Kempton where if anything he can surely keep progressing despite the rise in the weights.
Western Zephyr might stand a squeak at this at a huge price, considering his potential.
Placing a distant second behind L’Eau du Sud in the Grade 2 at Cheltenham in November, before disappointing twice in two very different races.
Probably best watched for now but at 66/1 there might be some value there under the great Sean Bowen.
Califet En Vol
The Sefton Novices’ Hurdle at 4.40pm looks wide open but the Grade 1 should be fairly straightforward.
Previous winners are great over 3m and if there are some great stamina horses waiting to be unleashed, then this is the perfect race for them.
Dancing City, Apple Away. Gelino Bello and Ahoy Senor have won the past four renewals.
I can’t see past Califet En Vol who is bred to stay well and has strong form already over 2m4f beating No Questions Asked well at Huntingdon in February and only denied by three lengths to The New Lion at Newbury in November.
Celtic Dino
Huge chance from this Doctor Dino gelding, Celtic Dino, who at anywhere between 7/1 and 10/1 can play a huge role for the places or a win with a great payout.
Trainer Sam Thomas’s horses are running well and this six-year-old has a lot of potential still to show.
After winning three in a row he’s disappointed somewhat in two races since, but they were a Grade 1 Novices’ Hurdle here on Boxing Day and a Grade 2 in February.
He wasn’t disgraced in fourth and third respectively in those races and remains dangerously weighted under 3lb claimer Dylan Johnston, who has steered him to success twice this season already.
A drop back to a handicap could be ideal and it would be no surprise if he can perform well against his 21 rivals.
Tom Lunn’s Horse Racing Profit & Loss
- March & April 2025: +50.12pts
- From May ’24: +234.5pts
- From July ’23: +373.97pts
All odds correct at time of writing
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