Aintree Festival day two preview

A selection in every race on Friday

With day one of the Aintree Festival now in the books, punters look towards another round of top quality horse racing when we go back in on Friday’s attraction, and there looks to be plenty of value on offer, if you can find those winners.

Click here to have your say on every race at the Grand National meeting, and beyond, or read on as we give our best bet in each of the seven legs, getting underway at 1.40pm.

1.40pm – Handicap Hurdle

Starting with a grade three contest, there’s plenty to get through as the curtain goes up on the weekend. 22-runners are expected to post, and of the pack we are taking a chance on Sky Khan, currently a 14/1 shot at Coral. Lucinda Russell’s rep hasn’t got near winning for a while now, but he was fourth in this race last year and appears to have been targeted at improving that. Last out at Uttoxeter in March when finishing fifth, but made a mistake and battled on gamely to get back into the race. Has been too easily written off for me at the price.

2.20pm – Novices’ Hurdle

A fantastic grade one contest over two-miles, River Wylde is the pick of Coral traders, who make him a 9/4 favourite at the time of writing, and I am happy to follow their lead there. Henderson’s six-year-old arrives in great form, having won three of his last four, placing third in the Supreme Novices at Cheltenham in the spare last time. He wasn’t ever involved in winning the race, but did come out of it with plenty of credit and we expect he has more improving in him. Another effort like that will see him home and hosed with plenty to spare.

2.50pm – Novices’ Chase

Another grade one, and we have an odds-on favourite for this one in Might Bite, who’s goes 8/15. Punters can’t really be too surprised by traders taking that stance either, and if he has his mind on the job then nothing will get near him. Won each of his last two, but will be best remembered for that heart-in-mouth finish in the RSA Novices Chase at Cheltenham last time, seen trying to give the prize money away, heading for home before the finish. We’ll have no more of that – hopefully.