Lucky 15 Tips: More Aintree magic on Ladies’ Day

Dramatic stuff here yesterday, as the Aintree Grand National Festival got underway in style. More of the same for Ladies Day looks assured, and Friday's seven-race extravaganza gets underway at 13:45.

Let's hope for the racegoers that the weather's a little more benign, but nothing could dim the memory of some of the performances, notably perhaps Barton Snow in the Foxhunters. He was awesome!

Horse Racing odds

14:20 - Salver @ 4/1

Training combo Gary and Josh Moore are in decent order at the minute and have a very lively chance in this 3m 1f novices' chase.

Their six-year-old gelded son of Derby hero Motivator, Salver, ran a blinder to be a close third in the G1 Brown Advisory at Cheltenham last month and he's been keeping some very serious company throughout his 16-race career; making his haul of six wins in that time all the more meritorious given the strength of the opposition.

Glancing at some of those opponents confirms massively; the likes of Nemean Lion, Lulamba, Doyen Quest, Kitzbuhel, and yesterday's G1 runner-up Blueking d'Oroux.

I think he's the best horse in the race, seems to go on any ground, and jockey Caolin Quinn rubs along with him quite beautifully.

I saw his sire win the Dante at York 21 years ago under Johnny Murtagh, a lovely memory, and his son can do the business on Merseyside on Friday.

15:30 - Heart Wood @ 11/8

There weren't many more impressive Festival winners in the Cotswolds a few weeks ago than Henry de Bromhead's Heart Wood, facile 10l Ryanair scorer under jockey Darragh O'Keefe.

The eight-year-old gelding bids to add a Melling Chase (2m 4f) to his CV and give trainer and jockey another success here, after they struck yesterday with Koktail Divin. Our selection produced a career-best last time and is now a 168-rated chaser.

Best in on official marks, and every chance of further improvement to come. Oozes class. What a chance.

16:40 -  Johnny's Jury @ 3/1

Another G1, this time a novices' hurdle over 3m-and-change.

Our pick is a six-year-old Jukebox Jury gelding fresh from winning the Albert Bartlett at Cheltenham 28 days ago. As long as Johnny's Jury is over those exertions he's surely the one to beat here, and is indeed the highest-rated entry as he's shot up to 147 after his Festival heroics.

Jamie Snowden trains, and Gavin Sheehan gives way to Jonathan Burke in the plate (who has won on him before). It's a case of three wins from four hurdle starts, and his celling talent-wise could be very high indeed.

17:15 - Porquoi Pas Papa @ 10/1

The last is handicap hurdle for conditionals and amateurs, run over just in excess of 2m.

Our selection is a four-year-old French-bred gelding trained at Ditcheat in Somerset by Paul Nicholls. Harry Cobden rides, and our hope arrives after contesting the Fred Winter at the Festival just over four weeks ago.

Porquoi Pas Papa ran really well to be fourth of 22, beaten 6.25l, seeing it out strongly up that famous, punishing hill. Far gentler contours here, but that kind of resolve will still be required in spades for what looks like potentially a very hot and wide-open contest.

Could be a 4s the field affair or thereabouts, great for value-seekers, and we're paying FIVE places each-way, at 1/5 odds. Cheltenham form sometimes works an absolute treat here, as with the magnificent mare Brighterdaysahead yesterday, but occasionally a big run there can leave its mark.

We'll not know until we know, but he's got every opportunity to figure at what looks to me to be a very tasty price.

If all four of our selections won, today's notional 50p win Lucky 15, at the prices indicated (they can of course fluctuate), would return around £607 for a £7.50 total stake. If you can improve upon our selections (of course you can) - then go for it!

Lucky 15 tips with Betfred Insights.