Our form expert had 8/1 and 9/1 winners on day one of Aintree and he has five selections for day two of the Randox Grand National Festival on Friday.
The Verdict: Friday April 4
1pt win The Changing Man in 1.45 Aintree at 14/1 (Paddy Power, 12/1 General)
1pt win Helnwein in 2.20 Aintree at 14/1 (General)
1pt win Favour And Fortune in 2.20 Aintree at 20/1 (bet365)
0.5pts e.w Eldorado Allen in 4.05 Aintree at 33/1 (1/5 1,2,3,4,5,6 William Hill, Coral)
0.5pts e.w Country Park in 5.15 Aintree at 22/1 (1/5 1,2,3,4,5 William Hill, Ladbrokes, Coral)
Get in a Tizz on day two
Joe Tizzard’s horses are running really well and with the yard historically targeting Aintree, all three of his horses on Friday are worth considering, with ELDORADO ALLEN looking a big price in the Randox Supporting Prostate Cancer UK Topham Handicap Chase over the National fences at 4.05.
Tizzard senior won this race a couple of times with Ultragold, and Eldorado Allen could revive those memories from a prominent pitch which look sure to be the tactics employed by Brendan Powell.
The grey was ultimately well beaten in last year’s Grand National, but that doesn’t tell the whole story as he took to the fences extremely well and led the field at the Canal Turn second time around before his stamina reserves emptied rapidly.
He’s 8lb lower in the weights on Friday and looks handicapped to have a say in a race like this now, with Tizzard freshening him up after two months off, while reapplying the tongue-tie that he usually wears.
The combination of these fences and 2m5f could unlock another big effort from him late in the 11-year-old’s career and experience is no bad thing in this race with eight winners this century being aged in the double digits.
He’s worth a small each-way bet and stablemate THE CHANGING MAN is chalked up at a very backable 12/1 in the opening Grade 1 Huyton Asphalt Franny Blennerhassett Memorial Mildmay Novices' Chase, as well.
On ratings he’s got a fair bit to find, but I’d be very surprised if he’s not significantly better than a 142-rated horse.
He’s just beaten 22 horses in a Cheltenham Festival handicap off a mark of 140 and he had no chance giving the freakishly handicapped winner Myretown 13lb, while the time before he pulverised a subsequent winner by 24 lengths at Ascot.
The key to this race could be the lively conditions as plenty of his rivals look to need things a good deal softer, but The Changing Man is right at home on good ground.
He’s well experienced for a novice, this his 12th chasing start, which is another factor I like and he might just get the run of things sitting just off the pace, too.
The Verdict: Back THE CHANGING MAN (1.45) and ELDORADO ALLEN (4.05)
Side with King pair in the 2.20
Another trainer I’m doubling up on is Alan King with both of his runners FAVOUR AND FORTUNE and HELNWEIN fancied to go well up in trip to 2m4f in the William Hill Handicap Hurdle at 2.20.
Favour And Fortune won the Scottish Champion Hurdle at Ayr over two miles last spring but everything he has done since has suggested he needs to go up in trip and his pedigree also points to such a move working out well.
He’s a good-moving horse so he did well to run as well as he did when fourth in soft ground in the big handicap hurdle at Newbury in February and he was simply outpaced at nippy Kelso last time.
Moving out to 2m4f on better ground can see him return to top form and given he’s just 1lb higher than when winning at Ayr he’s a bet at a nice price.
Stablemate Helnwein has already caught the attention of punters but he’s still worth siding with at 14/1.
The seven-year-old has been chasing but King has decided to retain his novice status for later on having run well over fences without winning and he’s dead interesting reverting to timber.
A winner of a good Sandown novice handicap on good ground last spring, where he beat Dan Skelton’s Be Aware (King’s horse is 7lb better off here) cosily, big things were expected of him over fences but it hasn’t quite worked out.
However, his form has been good and I don’t think there’s any doubt he’s improved again this season, while he’s another one who should enjoy the extra distance.
Third to Croke Park in his point-to-point and related to loads who stayed further, it wouldn’t surprise me to see a career-best effort here and he looks really well treated just 6lb higher than when he won at Sandown a year ago.
The Verdict: Back FAVOUR AND FORTUNE and HELNWEIN (2.20)
Park life in the lucky last
Finally, Jonjo & AJ O’Neill could strike with COUNTRY PARK in the Hallgarten And Novum Wines Handicap Hurdle for conditional jockeys’ at 5.15.
Jonjo traditionally has a very good record in conditional jockeys' handicap hurdles (24 wins from 126 at 19.05% in the last decade) and this horse is crying out for a strong gallop at two miles.
He ran a cracker on handicap debut behind Altobelli in a hot handicap hurdle over 2m3f at Ascot last time when held up, looking dangerous two out before finishing fourth, and going half a stride faster will suit him here.
They often go too quick in this race and it can be all change in the straight, but Benjamin Macey is expected to ride him cold in the rear and such tactics could pay dividends.
The Verdict: Back COUNTRY PARK in the 5.15 Aintree
Preview posted at 1600 BST on 03/04/25
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