Aintree Racecourse - the home of the Grand National.
But there is more to this jump racing jewel on Merseyside than being the venue for one of the most famous races in the world.
With Grade 1 action over the three-day Grand National Festival plus top-quality races later in the year, including the Old Roan Chase and the Grand Sefton Chase, Aintree is one of the premier tracks in the UK, ranked second only to Cheltenham amongst jump racing fans.
Aintree Tips for Today
Saturday sees one of the highlights of the betting calendar - the 2024 Grand National.
The big race will shown live on ITV Racing at 4:00pm and will watched by millions around the globe
Our tipping experts, Alan Kelly and Charlie McCann, have the action covered with free Aintree tips, including their Grand National tips and Nap of the Day selections - click on their links below to see who they’re backing!
Check out more from the Freebets horse racing hub, including tips, stats, market movers and today’s racecards!
We’ve also highlighted two betting angles below to remember when having a punt at Aintree.
A jumping challenge
Although much modified in recent years, Aintree still provides a tough jumping challenge, especially in the Grand National, where 30 fences must be negotiated. In addition, the Mildmay Course also presents a stern test over fences, so ensure any horse you’re backing at Aintree has some solid jumping form in the book.
Up with the pace
On both the Mildmay Course and the Grand National course, you need a horse that is a strong traveller and is happy to be up with, or near, to the pace. Rarely do you see a horse win from well-off the pace at Aintree.
Top Aintree Jockeys
Aidan Coleman is the jockey to look out for around Aintree - he’s boasting a 26% strike rate over fences and hurdles for the last three seasons and a 20-point profit to level stakes on all rides at the track.
Top Aintree Trainers
With Aintree only hosting six meetings over the year and with excellent prize money on offer, smaller racing yards target their horses for the Merseyside track in the hope of landing a nice pot.
One such trainer is Nick Alexander, who has a 43% strike rate with his chasers at the track over the last season, with three of his seven runners winning.
While Melanie Rowley’s runners over hurdles are worth watching out for - she currently has around a 40% strike rate.
Aintree Free Bets & Betting Offers
As one of the most popular sporting events in the UK, the Grand National sees no shortage of betting offers from the top online bookmakers to enjoy.
Another popular Grand National promotion is extra places paid on the race. Standard place terms would be four places on the big race, but many bookmakers, including bet365, Virgin Bet, and Betfred, all offer enhanced place terms - sometimes offering up to seven each-way places.
Aintree Racecourse Layout & Info
Aintree has two racecourses - the Mildmay Course and the Grand National Course.
The majority of races at Aintree are held on the Mildmay Course, which is known for being a tight course and a challenging jumping test.
The Grand National Course needs no introduction - a circuit of two miles and two furlongs, with some of the most well-known fences in jump racing, including Becher’s Brook, The Chair, and The Canal Turn.
Five races are run over the Grand National Course yearly - the Grand National, the Topham Chase, and the Foxhunters Chase in April, and the Becher Chase and Grand Sefton Chase in December.
Aintree Top Featured Races
The highlight of Aintree’s year is, of course, their three-day Grand National Festival, which is held annually in April.
With 11 Grade 1 races over the three days, plus the Grand National, it’s one of the most eagerly anticipated meetings on the horse racing calendar.
We’ve listed below the main races held at Aintree every year.
| Race | Grade | Distance | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manifesto Novices’ Chase | Grade 1 | 2 miles 4 furlongs | Chase | April |
| Anniversary Novices’ Hurdle | Grade 1 | 2 miles 1 furlong | Hurdle | April |
| Aintree Bowl | Grade 1 | 3 miles 1 furlong | Chase | April |
| Aintree Hurdle | Grade 1 | 2 miles 4 furlongs | Hurdle | April |
| Top Novices’ Hurdle | Grade 1 | 2 miles | Hurdle | April |
| Mildmay Novices’ Chase | Grade 1 | 3 miles 1 furlong | Chase | April |
| Melling Chase | Grade 1 | 2 miles 4 furlongs | Chase | April |
| Sefton Novices’ Hurdle | Grade 1 | 3 miles | Hurdle | April |
| Aintree Bumper | Grade 2 | 2 miles 1 furlong | NH Flat | April |
| Mersey Novices’ Hurdle | Grade 1 | 3 miles | Hurdle | April |
| Maghull Novices’ Chase | Grade 1 | 2 miles 4 furlongs | Chase | April |
| Liverpool Hurdle | Grade 1 | 2 miles | Hurdle | April |
| Grand National | Premier Handicap | 4 miles 2 furlongs | Chase | April |
| Old Roan Chase | Grade 2 | 2 miles 4 furlongs | Chase | October |
| Many Clouds Chase | Grade 2 | 2 miles | Chase | December |
| Formby Novices’ Hurdle | Grade 1 | 2 miles | Hurdle | December |
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