Friday 10th April 2026
NAP (Best Bet)
I turn my attention to the Grade 1 Melling Chase at Aintree on Friday for my best bet of the day, which comes up at 3.30. This comes in the form of GREY DAWNING for the powerhouse combination of Dan & Harry Skelton. He’s not had an overly busy campaign, with just the three outings, with his best run coming when winning the Grade 1 Betfair Chase at Haydock in November in impressive style. He was slightly disappointing at Cheltenham in January the time after, when third behind Spillane’s Tower, but ran with credit in the Gold Cup last time out when fourth behind Gaelic Warrior. The current favourite Heart Wood has to be respected on the back of his ten-length success in the Ryanair; however, it was a weak renewal, with Impaire Et Passe pulling up, and Jonbon in second, who doesn’t produce his best at Cheltenham. I think that the Skelton charge is the best horse in the race here, despite what the ratings say, and the drop back down in distance could be what he’s after. I suspect a big run is on the cards.
3.30 Aintree – GREY DAWNING – (15/8) (Win) (NAP)
NB (Next Best Bet)
My next best bet of the day on Friday comes within the 2.20, and this is the Grade 1 Mildmay Novices’ Chase over three miles and a furlong. I’m quite strong on the chances of MIAMI MAGIC here for Stuart Edmunds and Charlie Hammond. He comes into the contest fresh, having missed Cheltenham, and is a progressive seven-year-old chaser. He got the better of the reopposing Regent’s Stroll by four lengths at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day, and has since won by fifteen lengths at Newbury on his most recent outing, where he was upped in distance. We’ve likely not seen the limit to his ability yet, and this further step in distance could unlock more improvement from him. He stayed on strongly last time at Newbury to win decisively, and he has every chance of having a big say.
2.20 Aintree – MIAMI MAGIC – (5/1) (Win) (NB)
3B (Third Best Bet)
The third best for me on the second day of the Grand National Meeting comes within the 4.10, and this is more Grade 1 action, this time over the smaller obstacles with the Sefton Novices’ Hurdle over three miles and half of a furlong. I’ve come down on MONDOUI’BOY here for Ben Pauling and Ben Jones. He made a late return to action this term since joining the Pauling outfit, making his seasonal appearance at Ludlow in January, where he got the better of Island Bridge by four and a half lengths. He then followed that effort up with an impressive seven-length victory at Ascot in February, where he was also upped in grade to Class 2 company. Most recently, he posted his best effort to date when finishing fourth of twenty-two in the Grade 1 Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham last month. There should be a significant amount of progression still to come from him, and he has to be considered as a live player here for a yard who has had a fantastic season.
4.40 Aintree – MONDOUI’BOY – (5/1) (Win) (3B)
Each-Way Bet
I turn to the closing race on the card for my each-way play of the afternoon on Friday, and this is the 5.15, and the Debenhams Handicap Hurdle over two miles and half of a furlong. This is for the conditionals, and an ultra-competitive twenty-two-runner affair. That being said, I like the look of SHERMINATOR here for Harry Fry, who has managed to secure the services of one of the best amateurs in the business to do the steering in last year’s National-winning jockey, Patrick Mullins. This five-year-old has been a highly progressive type to date, winning all four of his completed starts over hurdles to date. Most recently, he was a six-length winner at Exeter in March, and a seven-pound rise in the weights may not be enough to stop his progression. If he takes another step forward, he should be bang there at the business end of things.
5.15 Aintree – SHERMINATOR – (13/2) (Each-Way) (5 places)
Longshot
The longshot on Friday comes within the 4.05, and this is the Topham Handicap Chase, a Premier Handicap over two miles and five furlongs. We currently have twenty-nine runners set to go to post here, and out of those, I’m taking a chance on BOOMBAWN or Dan Skelton and Tristan Durrell. He’s not been seen to best effect for a while, however, as a result, he has been tumbling down the weights, and could prove to be another Skelton plot in a big handicap. He also has form at this track, having won a handicap hurdle here a few seasons ago, as well as posting a couple of decent efforts among graded chases. This could well have been the plan, despite him running at Cheltenham, and I’ll chance him off his current mark at a big price.
4.05 Aintree – BOOMBAWN – (14/1) (Each-Way) (6 places)
Aintree Day 2 Selections
2.20 – Miami Magic – (5/1) (Win)
3.30 – Grey Dawning – (15/8) (Win)
4.05 – Boombawn – (14/1) (Each-Way)
4.40 – Mondoui’boy – (5/1) (Win)
5.15 – Sherminator – (13/2) (Each-Way)
