The third and final day of Aintree's Grand National meeting is coming up on Saturday, which includes the big race itself at 16:00.
We’ve got another excellent card to look forward to on the third and final day at Aintree on Saturday with three Grade 1 races and a Grade 2 supporting the big race itself, the Grand National.
Here are three selections at each-way prices in the horse racing betting whose chances look significantly stronger than the odds suggest, which includes one in the big race itself at 16:00.
Three best each-way bets
- 13:20 Aintree – Ace Of Spades @ 22/1
- 13:55 Aintree – Scorpio Rising @ 7/1
- 16:00 Aintree – Iroko @ 12/1
Skelton second-string could be Ace in the pack
Dan Skelton has an exceptional record in this staying handicap hurdle, winning the race three times in the past six years with Aux Ptis Soins (11/1) in 2019, West Bilbao (9/2) in 2023 and Gwinnie May Boy (4/1f) in 2024, and he’s got another strong hand in Saturday’s renewal, including with last month’s easy Pertemps Final winner Supremely West.
There’s little doubt that their likely market leader demands the utmost respect given the authority in which he won at Cheltenham, but he has got a 9lb rise to contend with and this is a very different track.
Therefore, it may pay to take a chance on the stable second string, Ace Of Spades, who has enjoyed a fine season in his own right and will appreciate a return to a flat track after fading to finish in the midfield in the Pertemps last time.
Successful on his only previous visit here in October, he’s proved himself extremely consistent in his four runs since, running to a career-best Racing Post Rating of 136 when scoring at Huntingdon in January.
Tip 1: 13:20 Aintree – Ace Of Spades @ 22/1
Scorpio can rise to the challenge
Olly Murphy has a couple of really progressive hurdlers representing him at Aintree on Saturday, including Scorpio Rising, who goes into this Grade 1 event on a five-timer.
The six-year-old was placed in a bumper and a maiden hurdle last season, but he’s looked a different animal this term, winning on his reappearance at Perth before rattling off a hat-trick of handicap successes at Lingfield, Windsor and Sandown off marks of 113, 121 and 128 respectively.
His most recent victory came in the Grade 3 EBF Final, in which he ran to a Racing Post Rating of 140, suggesting he’s got less to find on these terms than his official mark of 137 implies.
Tip 2: 13:55 Aintree – Scorpio Rising @ 7/1
Last year’s favourite offers more appeal
Owner JP McManus is set to be six-handed in the Grand National, the majority of those towards the top of the market, including 2024 winner I Am Maximus, who is likely to be thereabouts again having finished a fine second last year.
Olly Greenall and Josh Guerriero saddle two of McManus’ contingent, Iroko and Jagwar both appealing from an each-way perspective.
Preference is for the former, who has already shown his liking for these fences when finishing a never-nearer fourth in last year’s race when sent-off favourite.
He’s going to be a significantly bigger price this time around having disappointed in the Ultima Handicap Chase at the Cheltenham Festival last month, but he had valid excuses for that (scoped dirty the following day) and had proved himself better than ever previously, chasing home subsequent King George VI Chase winner The Jukebox Man at Haydock and when easily beating the reopposing Firefox at Ascot.
Tip 3: 16:00 Aintree – Iroko @ 12/1
