Here we go. Aintree is back and the Grand National Festival.
All eyes have already started turning to Saturday's main event, but there's plenty of action on Thursday to get pulses racing.
Our chief tipster Newsboy picks his 1-2-3s and best bets from each race.
1.45: Close Brothers Manifesto Novices' Chase
IL ETAIT TEMPS is the selection to give Willie Mullins the perfect start to the Grand National meeting..
After an impressive start to his chasing career at Thurles last November, the grey son of Jukebox Jury chased home stablemate Gaelic Warrior at the top-level at Limerick over Christmas.
Il Etait Temps then overhauled Found A Fifty to land the Grade 1 Irish Arkle Novice Chase at Leopardstown’s Dublin Racing Festival, in the style of a horse who would appreciate a try at two and a half miles.
The runner-up reversed the form in the Arkle Challenge Trophy at Cheltenham – the pair were no match for Gaelic Warrior – but Il Etait Temps didn’t help himself with some unvarnished jumping.
It may be that Cheltenham isn’t my selection’s track – he underperformed in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle 12 months earlier – so there are reasons to expect better today.
Skelton’s Grey Dawning beat the Nicholls-saddled Ginny’s Destiny for the Turners Novices’ Chase at the National Hunt Festival and the home duo are taken for the minor medals.
NEWSBOY’S 1-2-3
1 IL ETAIT TEMPS
2 GREY DAWNING
3 GINNY’S DESTINY
Newsboy expects his Nap, Il Etait Temps, to start to the Grand National meeting off with success in the Manifesto Novices' Chase at 1.452.20: Boodles Anniversary 4-Y-O Juvenile Hurdle
KALIF DU BERLAIS is a most promising recruit for Paul Nicholls and gets the vote to defend his unbeaten record.
Newsboy’s Daily Double plus tips on every race from Monday’s four meetings
The son of Masked Marvel made the perfect beginning to his career for the Guillaume Macaire and Hector de Lageneste training partnership with a five-and-a-half-length debut supremacy at Compiègne last October.
Sourced from France to join Nicholls, Kalif De Berlais started out for the 14-time champion trainer at Kempton Park in January, landing a juvenile hurdle by an impressive seven and a half lengths from Roaring Legend.
My selection was more workmanlike than impressive in the Grade 2 Adonis Juvenile Hurdle back in Sunbury six weeks later – sent off the 10-11 favourite, Harry Cobden’s partner had to knuckle down to get the better or Givemefive by three-quarters of a length.
But there is plenty more to come from a four-year-old who has a bright future, and the extra furlong here wll help Kalif Du Berlais as, having missed Cheltenham, he steps up to the top level for the first time.
Sir Gino , who also missed the National Hunt Festival – albeit under different circumstances – is feared most of all, ahead of Triumph Hurdle runner-up Kargese.
NEWSBOY’S 1-2-3
1 KALIF DU BERLAIS
2 SIR GINO
3 KARGESE
2.55: William Hill Bowl Chase
GERRI COLOMBE, second to Galopin Des Champs in the Cheltenham Gold Cup, is expected to go one better.
Twelve months ago, the Gordon Elliott-saddled eight-year-old followed a short-head defeat in the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase at the Festival with a seven-and-a-half-length call in the Mildmay Novices’ Chase at Aintree the following month.
My selection began his second season over the larger obstacles by landing the Grade 1 Champion Chase at Down Royal by a neck from Envoi Allen.
Gerri Colombe then had the misfortune to bump into Galopin Des Champs in the Lexus Chase at Leopardstown over Christmas as Willie Mullins’ star galloped to a 23-length supremacy.
The reigning champion duly defended his title in the Gold Cup 27 days ago but it was Jack Kennedy’s mount who once again fared best of his pursuers, going under by three and a half lengths at the line – Bravemansgame was fifth – and Gerri Colombe can return to winning ways.
Shishkin, forced to miss chasing’s blue riband when Nicky Henderson’s team was under the weather, won this race 12 months ago and is respected, while Ahoy Senor is preferred to Bravemansgame and CorbettsCross for the bronze.
NEWSBOY’S 1-2-3
1 GERRI COLOMBE
2 SHISHKIN
3 AHOY SENOR
Newsboy's horse racing picks for Tuesday's three meetings, plus Musselburgh Nap
3.30: William Hill Aintree Hurdle
Newsboy fancies Bob Olinger to score in the William Hill Aintree Hurdle at 3.30 (Getty Images)BOB OLINGER couldn’t cope with State Man at Leopardstown on his latest start – but meets nobody of that calibre here.
A lot of water has flowed under the bridge since Henry de Bromhead’s son of Sholokhov thumped Gaillard Du Mesnil for what is now the Gallagher Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham in March 2021.
My selection was in the process of being humbled by Galopin Des Champs in the Turners Novices Chase 12 months later, but the leader suffered a final-fence calamity and presented Rachael Blackmore’s mount with victory.
Soon after, Bob Olinger went into the wilderness – he was pulled up over fences at Punchestown 40 days later, and then drew a blank in three attempts back over hurdles last season.
But the spark has returned this term - the nine-year-old beat Zanahiyr for the Grade 2 Lismullen Hurdle at Navan in November before running to a seven-length supremacy over Marie’s Rock in the Grade 2 Relkeel Hurdle at Cheltenham on New Year’s Day.
The winning run came to an end with a five-and-a-half-length defeat at the hands of State Man in the Irish Champion Hurdle - the winner has since followed up in the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham, in which Luccia finished third and Nemean Lion sixth - but Bob Olinger beat third home Impaire Et Passe that day, and can do so again.
Nemean Lion gets a narrow nod over Langer Dan for the final podium place.
NEWSBOY’S 1-2-3
1 BOB OLINGER
2 IMPAIRE ET PASSE
3 NEMEAN LION
4.05: Randox Foxhunters' Open Hunters' Chase
SPYGLASS HILL and James King should prove a potent combination.
The 11-year-old was a capable performer in the hands of Henry de Bromhead, enjoying his finest moment over fences when lifting a valuable handicap chase at Limerick in December 2021.
Now with Regan Pallas, my selection made his debut for the Bridgend trainer in a hunter chase at Haydock Park in February.
Easy to back at 9-1 in a field of eight, Spyglass Hill hit the ground running for his new connections with a half-length score from Iskandar Pecos.
The runner-up is quirky but talented - he is unbeaten in two starts since – and Spyglass Hill has the right partner in King, who landed the Foxhunters’ aboard Dineur in 2017 and Cousin Pascal in 2021.
In an open contest, Its On The Line, Time Leader, Annamix and Romeo Magico all merit a second glance.
NEWSBOY’S 1-2-3
1 SPYGLASS HILL
2 ROMEO MAGICO
3 ITS ON THE LINE
4.40: Close Brothers Red Rum Handicap Chase
WHISKEYWEALTH is thriving and another good account looks on the cards under conditions tailored to suit.
The Terence O’Brien-saddled son of Yeats lost his way over hurdles and fences after scoring on his stable debut at Clonmel in February of last year.
But he was back in business under 7lb claimer John Shinnick with a two-and-three-quarter length margin over timber at Naas on his penultimate outing.
And Whiskeywealth followed up over fences when landing a big-money handicap chase at Gowran Park last month by a length and three-quarters from Mount Frisco
There is an 8lb rise in the weights to deal with here but Whiskeywealth once again has the juice underfoot that sees him to best effect and is taken to rack up the hat-trick.
Unexpected Party returned to two miles to lift the Johnny Henderson Grand Annual Chase at Cheltenham and is taken to go well, along with stablemate Heltenham and Sans Bruit.
NEWSBOY’S 1-2-3
1 WHISKEYWEALTH
2 UNEXPECTED PARTY
3 SANS BRUIT
5.15: Goffs Nickel Coin Mares' Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race
HONKY TONK HIGHWAY won at Listed level on her Rules debut – and has barely scratched beneath the surface.
On the back of a point-to-point success at Tattersalls Farm in Co Meath last October, Milan’s daughter joined Dan Skelton after going under the hammer for £165,000 at the Tattersalls Cheltenham November Sale.
Interestingly, Skelton gave the five-year-old her first start in his care on Sandown Park’s Imperial Cup undercard, and punters took the hint by sending Honky Tonk Highway off the 3-1 favourite in a field of 11.
My selection betrayed her inexperience during the closing stages but responded to Harry Skelton’s calls to get the better of Rula Bula by a length and three-quarters.
There is plenty more where that came from and Honky Tonk Highway gets the vote to win again.
Baby Kate, Diva Luna and Speculatrix, three mares with bright futures ahead of them, are capable of having a say in proceedings.
NEWSBOY’S 1-2-3
1 HONKY TONK HIGHWAY
2 BABY KATE
3 SPECULATRIX
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