The first of three quality days of action at the Grand National Festival starts with a bang courtesy of the card kicking off with four Grade 1s in a row.
The Aintree Bowl is the pick as Gerri Colombe bids to bounce back to winning ways after a gallant defeat to Galopin Des Champs in the Cheltenham Gold Cup, but Shishkin is looking to retain the crown after staying on superbly to beat Ahoy Senor last year.
Bob Olinger takes on Impaire Et Passe in the Aintree Hurdle, a rematch between Grey Dawning and Ginny’s Destiny headlines the Manifesto Novices’ Chase, while Sir Gino returns to the track in the Anniversary 4-Y-O Juvenile Hurdle after missing the Cheltenham Festival.
Racegoers get their first look at Aintree’s iconic spruce fences in the Foxhunters’ Open Hunters’ Chase, Dancing On My Own attempts to win the Red Rum Handicap Chase for the second year in a row off top weight before the Grade 2 Goffs Nickel Coin Mares’ Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race rounds off proceedings.
Quite frankly, the only thing that looks like spoiling the fun is testing conditions at Aintree as record rainfall in England means the word heavy is likely to be in the going description by the time the racing gets underway.
Grand National odds can be found on the Paddy Power website and Paddy Power app, otherwise, everything you need to know about day one of the meeting is below.
Aintree Races
Our Racecards page has details of the runners and riders plus Timeform’s horse-by-horse analysis for every renewal on the Grand National Festival schedule.
The following seven races take place at Aintree on Thursday, April 11:
13:45: Manifesto Novices’ Chase (Grade 1)
14:20: Boodles Anniversary 4-y-o Juvenile Hurdle (Grade 1)
14:55: Aintree Bowl (Grade 1)
15:30: Aintree Hurdle (Grade 1)
16:05: Randox Foxhunters’ Open Hunters’ Chase
16:40: Close Brothers Red Rum Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap)
17:15: Goffs UK Nickel Coin Mares’ Standard Open NH Flat (Grade 2)
Aintree Going
The latest report conducted at Aintree on Thursday, April 11 has the official going as Soft, Heavy (in places) on the Mildmay course and Heavy, Soft (in places) on the Grand National course.
Aintree TV Schedule
ITV Racing are broadcasting five of the seven races at Cheltenham on Thursday.
ITV1: 14:00 – 17:00
Virgin Media One: 14:00 – 17:00
ITV Racing’s The Opening Show will build up to Thursday’s action with a 60-minute preview show.
ITV4: 09:30 – 10:30
Aintree Live Stream
You can live stream every single race at Aintree on Thursday on the Paddy Power website and via the Paddy Power app for FREE!
Just head to paddypower.com or the Paddy Power app and sign up or log in. Once you’ve done that, find the betting page for the renewal you wish to watch and click the button that says ‘Watch Live’.
You don’t even have to place a bet to catch all the action.
Aintree Tips
Paddy Power News is your home for Grand National Festival betting tips. Our superstar stable of pundits includes former jockeys Ruby Walsh and Mick Fitzgerald, shrewd tipster Rory Delargy and ITV Racing personality Matt Chapman.
- Aintree Bowl trends and stats for Aintree 2.55 on Thursday
- Paddy Power pundits’ epic cheat sheet of horse racing tips for Aintree
- Ruby Walsh’s horse racing tips for Aintree Day 1 on Thursday
- Mick Fitzgerald’s horse racing tips for Thursday at Aintree
- Matt Chapman’s ITV Racing tips for Aintree on Thursday
Read These Next on the Grand National 2024
- Gallop over to Paddy Power News for all the latest Grand National tips
- When is the Grand National 2024? Aintree date, start time, runners and betting
- Grand National weights: Full list of Aintree 2024 handicap ratings
- Grand National favourites: Paddy Power’s leading contenders for Aintree 2024
- Horse Racing tips: Paul Jacobs’ ante-post plays for the Aintree Grand National
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