HARRY SKELTON: Aintree Thursday

We’re looking forward to getting things underway on Day One of the Aintree Grand National Festival, with a handful of our horses having good chances throughout the day, writes HARRY SKELTON.

We obviously missed Cheltenham to keep Grey Dawning fresh for here, and he’s looking in fine form, so we’re hoping that it will pay off.

⭐ GRAND NATIONAL BETTING ⭐

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BOOMBAWN – 1.45 Aintree

He ran a career best last time out when coming second and giving a bit of weight to the winner, Rubaud. We’ve had this race in mind for him since that day, but there are more horses entered than I thought there would be, and it looks a competitive field. We’ve got to find a few pounds on the figures, but the trip, track and ground are all boxes ticked. Everything should suit him, but he’ll need to put up the best performance of his career yet again to bring it home here. He’s an improving type and is going in the right direction since he’s gone over fences, so we’d be delighted to pick up some money.

LIVE CONTI – 2.20pm

He’s only run once for us, when he won easily in a low-key race at Wetherby. He’s a horse we really like, and his French form at Auteuil has worked out really well. He’s a big, strong horse, and it’ll be interesting to see how he fares against this lot as a four-year-old. It’s a good race on paper, so we’ve got to run to a fair level, but we do think highly of him. Whether he can win this remains to be seen as he doesn’t have that much experience, but he’s got the class and quality. I hope he’ll run well here and show us the promise that we know he has. It’s a big ask, but he’s a really nice horse in the making.

GREY DAWNING – 2.55pm Aintree

He’s in cracking form. Plans changed after our run in the King George as we wanted him fresh and well coming to Aintree, and he’s exactly that. It was nice to get back on track last time out at Kelso and he comes here with every chance. He is up there with the leading contenders, but Spillane’s Tower looks the one to beat after also missing Cheltenham. We’re very happy with him, though, and he should run a good race.

✈️ Classy display

Grey Dawning back in business in the @bet365 Premier Chase@DSkeltonRacing | @KelsoRacecourse pic.twitter.com/j9OBGjtziM

— Racing TV (@RacingTV) March 1, 2025

BENNYS KING, FRERE D’ARMES & JET PLANE – 4.05 Aintree

Bennys King came second in the race last year and has Sean O’Connor on board again. We’ve had this race in mind for him since last year as we know he loves it. He seems in great form, and if he can get into a similar rhythm to last year, hopefully, he can run well at a big price again. Although he’s a year older, he’s still full of enthusiasm, which is great to see and will hopefully give Sean a good ride. He’s a joy to have around the yard.

Heidi Palin rides Frere D’Armes, and she knows him quite well now. He’s done well since he’s gone hunter chasing but we didn’t quite get the tactics right last time at Ludlow. I thought he could’ve won that day if we’d done things right. It’s his first time over these fences at Aintree but we’re hoping they’ll spark him up a bit, and he’ll take to them well. He’s got class about him and was performing well in some decent handicaps not too long ago. It’s a massive day for these amateur jockeys. Heidi has been with us for the whole of her career since she started four years ago, and she’s come a long way. Hopefully, Frere D’Armes can give her a good spin over the big fences.

Jet Plane goes with Jack Andrews on board. He had a sit on him last week and jumped over some Aintree-style fences and he schooled well. He’s in good form and was competing well as a handicapper at a decent level but has enjoyed things since going hunter chasing. I think this horse can give Jack a great ride if he takes to it, and there’s no reason to say he won’t go well around here, the trip should suit him.

CALICO – 4.40pm Aintree

He had a nice run last time out at Doncaster and looks to be coming back to form. He should enjoy it around Aintree and is off a competitive handicap mark. He’s shown us all of the right signs of late, and we know he can perform in these big handicaps. He has every chance of picking up some money.

GETAWHISKY – 5.15pm Aintree

She is a nice mare and won smartly at Carlisle in the autumn before more recently running well in a Listed race at Market Rasen. It’s hard to get a gauge of things in these bumpers as you never know what you’re taking on, but we like our mare, and she’ll run well. I think win, lose or draw, we’re excited at the prospect of taking her over hurdles next season.

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