ITV Racing Tips: Who can land the National treasure?

The Grand National. A proverbial national institution. I'm not sure it's a race that stops our nation, but it comes pretty darned close. One of sport's brightest jewels; an incomparable annual drama staged in Liverpool, England, since 1839. 

It's the highlight of ITV's LIVE coverage from Aintree on Saturday afternoon, with the channel broadcasting five contests culminating with the big one at 16:00. First heat of a seven-race card kicks-in at 12:45; the channel begin their work with the 13:20; and in addition to the centrepiece we've got a couple of fabulous Grade 1 clashes and two big-field, red-hot handicaps.

If there's a more compelling sporting event in terms of lending itself to TV I've yet to make its acquaintance, but in all fairness I can see one or two hands going up in support of The Masters. To think that they're happening over the same weekend is just mind-blowing.

One more word only at this point from me - enjoy.

Horse Racing odds

Full ITV schedule;

13.20 - 3m 1/2f Handicap Hurdle
13.55 - 2m 4f Mersey Novices' Hurdle (Grade 1)
14.30 - 3m 1f l Freebooter Handicap Chase
15.05 - 3m 1/2f Liverpool Hurdle (Grade 1)
16.00 - 4m 2 1/2f Randox Grand National

Rationale;

13.20 - Hold The Serve @ 11/2

Our first is a 3m-and-change Class 1 handicap hurdle, worth £40k+ to the winner.

A maximum field of 22 is expected to face the starter, and our each-way terms reflect the hugely competitive nature of the affair - we're paying 1/5 odds, FIVE places.

Our selection is a six-year-old Jukebox Jury gelding trained by Olly Murphy in Warwickshire - Hold The Serve. Champion jockey Sean Bowen has the riding assignment, and the horse is an impressive three-from-four career-wise.

Massive step up when last seen 49 days ago that put him firmly in many a notebook, scoring with authority at Kempton off 123 on handicap debut. He's up 7lb for that but remains totally unexposed really, and the trainer/jockey combination are just the folks to maximise his undoubted potential.

His relative lack of experience could be a factor but he coped very professionally at Kempton, and given a little luck in running could appreciate this slightly longer trip, allowing more time to get organised and settled in the run.

Any number of massive dangers exist but off 10st 11lb I like his chances very much indeed.

13.55 - Scorpio Rising @ 7/1

A G1 novices' hurdle, with the Cheltenham Turners' sixth Bossman Jack likely to be close to the head of the market.

I'm going once again for a Sean Bowen/Olly Murphy conveyance in the shape of another six-year-old Jukebox Jury gelding - Scorpio Rising. He's four-from-six coming here, and is also fresh from an impressive success last time.

That was at Sandown five weeks ago, taking a valuable final and a £45k pot by 2.75l. It might be that he didn't beat a great deal in Esher, but there was no doubting the quality on display.

He's up 9lb to a mark of 137 this afternoon but that last run was a comfortable career-high and the untapped potential element is exciting. The trainer is in sensational form, striking at around 34% over the last fortnight, and though Sean's 'only' popping along at 18% he remains loftily somewhere between brilliant and generational.

On a sensational day, one simply crying out for superlatives, this is another absolute mouth-waterer.

14.30 - Brave Fortune @ 6/1

The National is a fantastic puzzle of course but I reckon this 3m 1f handicap chase is every bit as challenging, in terms of finding the winner.

I've sided with a raider from Joseph O'Brien's County Kilkenny base; the seven-year-old Soldier Of Fortune gelding Brave Fortune. He's won one of his four steeplechases, and is rated considerably higher over the larger obstacles than he was over hurdles.

Achieved a career-best when last seen at Thurles back in mid-January, beaten just under a length, and having won on both good and good-to-soft I reckon he'll appreciate this genuine spring ground in Liverpool this afternoon. Steps up in trip compared to recent efforts but has won, readily, over 3m 1f before.

Joseph had several winners at Gowran on the level in the last few days and would love I'm sure to take this valuable prize home. The admirable JJ Slevin sits on the horse for the first time in competitive action, and it's another of our 1/5 odds, FIVE places each-way races.

15.05 - Hiddenvalley Lake @ 6/1

More G1 action, with the Liverpool Hurdle over 3m 0.5f. Some fabulous staying tools have taken this in the past - notably the likes of Big Buck's with Ruby Walsh on top (four on the spin, '09 - '12 inc).

Our selection for the 2026 renewal is Henry de Bromhead's nine-year-old Sholokhov gelding, Hiddenvalley Lake. He's four-from-12 all told, and is another who I think will appreciate the better underfoot conditions likely to prevail at Aintree.

His last two efforts, on deep ground, have been disappointing. However, his trainer has struck at this meeting already, same with the brilliant Darragh O'Keefe who is doing the pushing, and in this very race last year (on good ground) he beat Strong Leader 2.75l to take this valuable prize, having run third to that same horse 12 months previously.

Loves the Liverpool air then, and represents value in my book to occupy the top spot on the podium once again; in the prolific, distinctive Robcour colours.

16.00 - Johnnywho each-way @ 12/1

And so to the big one - 4m 2.5f, 30 fences, and potentially a maximum field of 34 starters. Half-a-million to the winner, history to be made, and we're paying SIX places each-way, 1/5 odds.

We all have our favourite National winners down the years, and there's always a compelling back-story to savour. Who will be in the spotlight I wonder on Saturday afternoon?

JP McManus is a tremendous supporter of National Hunt racing. So many horses in training. Boundless enthusiasm for the game, both here and in his native Ireland.

He's got several great-looking chances today and it's one of them I like in terms of who might just get his head in front - the nine-year-old gelding by a sire who finished fourth in an Arc de Triomphe, namely Johnnywho.

Without having to scratch too deep initially, the attraction is compelling. He arrives off the back of a career-best, at Cheltenham no less. He's carrying just 10st 4lb. There's JP, a serial big-race winner. And jockey Richie McLernon, a seasoned horseman for whom a win here would be a fabulous exclamation point on a fine career.

There's the O'Neill factor, too. Half of the training team, Jonjo, never won this in his own sensational career in the saddle but provided another God of the game, AP McCoy, with his own solitary National success back in 2010 with the owner's Don't Push It.

Johnnywho ticks plenty of boxes and that last Cheltenham Festival spin, a half-length triumph over Jagwar in the Ultima over 3m 1f, was as good a trial for this as you could wish for. He's had 32 days to get over his exertions, travelled supremely well on the day, and runs off the same mark, 146.

He's been reassessed to 152 for future engagements, so is officially well-in. Dangers lurk in every corner, but I'll be playing each-way of course and I'm very hopeful.

ITV Racing tips with Betfred Insights.