Aintree Grand National Meeting Thursday Tips: 3/1 Nap heads Owen’s Day 1 fancies

The Grand National meeting at Aintree gets underway on Thursday with a seven-race card running from 13:45-17:15 and featuring four Grade 1s.

I've got some Aintree Grand National Meeting Thursday tips for consideration - including a 3/1 Nap in the opener.

13:45 - Impaire Et Passe @ 3/1

Arkle hero Jango Baie is the rightful favourite for the Manifesto Novices' Chase - a Grade 1 over 2m4f - but my preference is for Willie Mullins' IMPAIRE ET PASSE.

The seven-year-old son of Diamond Boy won the Aintree Hurdle at the Grand National meeting last year and is 2-3 over fences this term, including a Grade 1 scalp at Limerick over Christmas.

He disappointed behind stablemate Ballyburn and the reopposing Croke Park at the Dublin Racing Festival last time out, but he didn't look at the races from the word go and the suspicion is he doesn't enjoy Leopardstown. He's winless in three visits there.

He sports first-time cheekpieces on Thursday, which hopefully has the desired effect of helping him concentrate, and he only has five-and-a-half lengths to make up on the aforementioned Croke Park. I can easily see that form being reversed - and I'll be disappointed if he isn't up to beating the likes of Gidleigh Park, Rubaud and Co.

Jango Baie will be a tough nut to crack if at his best, but he had a very tough race at Cheltenham just over three weeks ago and freshness is often favoured at this meeting.

Selection must finish 2nd in selected race(s). Win singles & win part of E/W bets only. Cash within 24 hours, max £10. Min runner rules apply. T&Cs Apply.

14:20 - Wendrock each-way @ 9/1

In the absence of Lulamba, Hello Neighbour and Lady Vega Allen, this G1 Juvenile Hurdle over 2m1f looks wide open.

Fred Winter hero Puturhandstogether heads the betting, but he's six pounds worse off with Gordon Elliott's WENDROCK, who was around seven lengths behind in sixth.

Having watched back the race, I'm amazed the selection finished as close as he did. He raced towards the rear of the 22-strong field and was out wide when badly hampered by a faller at the second last. He then switched to the inside and made eye-catching progress up the hill, almost getting up for fifth on the line. If possible, I advise watching the replay yourself.

With a smaller field on Thursday, he will hopefully have more luck in running and that, including better terms, can see him close the gap substantially on the favourite, if not reverse the form.

He looks overpriced to me and in an Extra Place Race with four available instead of three, he rates a good each-way bet.

Selected race(s). Applies to Each Way, Single & Multiple bets only. Antepost bets don’t apply. Min. runner rules apply. T&Cs Apply.

14:55 - Spillane's Tower @ 10/3

I respect Grey Dawning, but I'm surprised SPILLANE'S TOWER isn't favourite for the Bowl.

For me, the seven-year-old's second to emphatic Ryanair winner Fact To File, with dual Gold Cup hero Galopin Des Champs a couple of lengths behind, in the John Durkan at Punchestown in November is the standout piece of form in this field of eight.

Jimmy Mangan's star disappointed in the King George at Kempton a month later, but that was an unusual race in which Il Est Francais was afforded a sizeable lead and it was only Banbridge who managed to close the gap on the French raider. I wouldn't read too much into that.

He's not been seen since, so he comes to Merseyside as a fresh horse, which as I've already mentioned is a positive.

I don't buy into the idea that ground is an issue for him, given he won the Grade 1 novice chase at last year's Punchestown Festival on yielding ground. It's arguably more of an issue for the favourite.

Spillane's Tower boasts, in my mind at least, the strongest piece of form, he's only seven with scope to improve and has the red-hot Mark Walsh in the plate. He rates a solid proposition.

16:40 - Primoz @ 5/1

I couldn't put anyone off the clearly well-handicapped Petit Tonnerre or last year's winner Sans Bruit for the Red Rum Handicap Chase, but I have to give Lucinda Russell's PRIMOZ another chance after his Cheltenham Festival nightmare.

After his cosy win on chase debut at Wetherby in October, off a mark of 123, I had high hopes for the seven-year-old son of Westerner. However, he struggled next time out at Cheltenham off nine pounds higher and fell early on at Newbury just before Christmas.

He bounced back to something like at Ayr in the new year when not beaten far by a couple of progressive rivals, before absolutely bolting up in a two-runner affair at Kelso in February.

Then, in the Grand Annual at the Festival, he was particularly inconvenienced by one of the many standing starts and was always struggling. Notably, though, he was very well-backed beforehand, similar to Myretown who won the Ultima by a distance two days prior. Clearly, it's not just me who thinks there is juice in his mark of 130.

I can see Patrick Wadge doing similar to what he did on Myretown and bouncing out in front on Primoz and trying to make all. I suspect that'll see him to best effect.

Click the links for the latest Today's Horse Races and Horse Racing Odds

Find more Horse Racing Tips here at Betfred Insights