ANDY NEWTON’s Aintree Festival Trends and 1-2-3 Picks For Day One (Thurs 3rd April)

Sportscasting’s horse racing expert Andy Newton is on-hand this week with his Aintree Festival trends and 1-2-3 picks for ALL of the LIVE ITV races.

The three-day meeting gets going on Thursday with SIX live races on the main ITV Racing channel – which include the Aintree Hurdle, Bowl Chase and also the Foxhunters’ Chase, which is run over the Grand National course.

AINTREE Festival Trends Day One: Constitution Hill and Lossiemouth Clash In Must-See Aintree Hurdle

1:45pm – EBC Group Manifesto Novices’ Chase (Grade 1) (Class 1) (5yo+) 2m4f ITV

🥇IMPAIRE ET PASSE
🥈JANGO BAIE
🥉GIDLEIGH PARK

Arkle winner Jango Baie will be popular to follow-up, with the step up to 2m4f sure to suit. However, ALL of the last 15 winners of this didn’t win last time out.

With that in mind, the Willie Mullins-trained IMPAIRE ET PASSE is interesting coming here fresher after missing the Cheltenham Festival and likes this meeting – having won the Aintree Hurdle here last term.

Croke Park and Gidleigh Park are others to note, while the Paul Nicholls-trained Rubaud is overlooked with the yard 0-16 in the race.

📈 Key Aintree Festival Trends:

2.20pm – Boodles Anniversary 4yo Juvenile Hurdle 4yo (Grade 1) (Class 1) (4yo) 2m1f ITV

🥇PUTURHANDSTOGETHER
🥈MAMBONUMBERFIVE
🥉NATURALLY NIMBLE

It’s hard to know what to make of Dan Skelton runner Live Conti, who won on his UK debut at Wetherby at just 1/9 – but the second has been well beaten since which gives the form some questions to answer.

The Irish don’t have the best of longer-term records in the race but have won 3 of the last 10 and the Joseph O’Brien runner PUTURHANDSTOGETHER can improve on that. He was a top winner of the Fred Winter last time out at Cheltenham – winning by 6 lengths – and looks the sort to have more to come.

The other O’Brien runner Naturally Nimble and Adonis Hurdle winner Mambonumberfive can do best of the rest.

📈Key Aintree Festival Trends:

2.55pm – Bowl Chase (Grade 1) (Class 1) (5yo+) 3m1f ITV

🥇SPILLANE’S TOWER (n/r)
🥈STAGE STAR
🥉GREY DAWNING

SPILLANE’S TOWER (n/r) gets the verdict here after bypassing Cheltenham to freshen up after his 5th in the King George VI Chase at Kempton over Christmas. He’s a horse that’s gone well fresh in the past and did well at this time of year last season – winning at Fairyhouse and the Punchestown Festival.

While the form of his close second in the John Durkan Memorial Chase earlier this season reads well with Fact To File having since won the Ryanair Chase in facile fashion.

Stage Star and Grey Dawning are others that missed the Festival at Cheltenham and will be popular – with Grey Dawning last seen beating one of the Grand National fancies Iroko at Kelso in early March. He was turned over as the 11/10 favourite in the Manifesto Novices’ Chase at the meeting last season (3rd).

Stage Star showed signs he could be back to his best last time, when a close second to the useful L’Homme Presse in the Cotswold Chase on Trials Day at Cheltenham – he represents the Paul Nicholls yard, who have six wins in the race.

📈Key Aintree Festival Trends:

3.30pm – William Hill Aintree Hurdle (Grade 1) (Class 1) (4yo+) 2m4f ITV

🥇LOSSIEMOUTH
🥈CONSTITUTION HILL
🥉WODHOOH 

It’s the race that never was at the Cheltenham Festival when Lossiemouth’s connections opted for the Mares’ Hurdle and after the carnage in the Champion Hurdle – many feel she would have won that race.

Of course, Constitution Hill fell that day and is, therefore, on a recovery mission – with that his first defeat from 10 runs over hurdles. He won this prize in 2023 too, so the longer trip is fine and is reportedly fine after his tumble.

However, LOSSIEMOUTH will get 7lbs off Constitution Hill here and it was hard to not be impressed with how she won the Mares’ Hurdle last time. The pair clashed in the Christmas Hurdle too this season – which Con Hill coming out on top, but Lossiemouth is better over further and even though this is her first run at Aintree she’s expected to relish it.

Martin Pipe Hurdle winner Wodhooh, who looks a mare on the up, can do best of the rest.

📈Key Aintree Festival Trends:

4.05pm – Randox Foxhunters´ Open Hunters’ Chase (Class 2) (6yo+) 2m5f ITV

🥇ANNAMIX
🥈FAMOUS CLERMONT
🥉MY DROGO

Willitgoahead was third in the St James’s Place Foxhunters Chase at Cheltenham, but the worry is his age (7) and lack of experience having only had three runs over fences.

So, the Willie Mullins-trained ANNAMIX looks the safer call, after running third in this race last year and was also third in the 2022 Topham Chase over these fences. He’ll have the help of Patrick Mullins too and the first-time cheekpieces are also on this 12 year-old.

2023 winner Famous Clermont has to enter the mix too for jockey James King, who has a good record in the race. While if his jumping holds out the former Dan Skelton-trained My Drogo could easily out-class this lot with the experienced Will Biddick on his back.

Of the rest, the useful Derek O’Connor also catches the eye riding Presentandcounting for former National-winning trainer Donald McCain.

📈Key Aintree Festival Trends:

4.40pm – The Close Brothers Red Rum Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap) (Class 1) (5yo+) 2m ITV

🥇SANS BRUIT
🥈MY MATE MOZZIE
🥉DR T J ECKLEBURG

12 months ago, the Paul Nicholls-trained SANS BRUIT landed this race by an easy 4 lengths and he’s back off the same mark. No Bryony Frost this time, but Harry Cobden takes over and despite not winning a race since this prize would have been the target again all season. He’s still only 7 years-old and gets in like last year with another featherweight (10-6).

The consistent pairing of My Mate Mozzie, who was a fair 4th in the Grand Annual at Cheltenham, and Dr T J Eckleburg with a lightweight look sure to make their presences felt too.

📈Key Aintree Festival Trends:

GOOD LUCK 🤞