Andrew Mount previews day one of Aintree’s Grand National festival, which takes place on Thursday 9th April. Scouring the form guides ahead of a stellar day’s action on Merseyside, Andrew has four selections across the card.
BOYLE Sports have a fabulous welcome offer for horse racing punters at Aintree, as for day 1 of the meeting you can earn £40 in free bets when you bet £10. You also can earn your money back as a free bet if your horse finishes 2nd to the SP favourite.
Aintree Grand National Festival Day 1 Tips (Thursday 9 April 2026)
Seven races get under way at 1.45pm on Thursday, with the Grade 1 Juvenile Hurdle kicking the afternoon off. A host of top class races light up Liverpool, and you can see Andrew’s best bets here.
1.45 Aintree – Ammes (0.5pt e/w – 33/1 generally, three places, Sky Bet 25/1 four places)
The Triumph Hurdle runner-up, third and fourth – Maestro Conti, Minella Study and Selma De Vary – renew rivalry in the Anniversary 4-Y-O Hurdle but I’m going to chance James Owen’s Ammes who finished in mid-division in the Fred Winter at last month’s Cheltenham Festival. The son of No Nay Never improved for a gelding operation and the switch to hurdles when scoring at Sedgefield in late September and followed up on fast ground at Chepstow shortly after. He was sent off as the 2-5 favourite to beat Minella Study (8-1) in the Listed Wensleydale Juvenile Hurdle at Wetherby next time and while his three-quarters of a length defeat was obviously hard to take for odds-on backers, subsequent events suggest that it was a fine effort. Patient tactics weren’t ideal when a 20-length 12-1 12th of 22 at the festival, his first hurdles run for four and a half months and he might do better now fitted with a first-time visor. His trainer is 22 from 74 with this headgear (29.7% strike-rate) for a profit of £19.39 to a £1 level stake at SP (expected winners = 13.65, A/E = 1.61), including seven from 17 with hurdlers and the smaller field/easier track will help.
2.20 Aintree – Koktail Divin (1pt win – 11/4 generally)
Six-year-olds who were beaten in their prep race have a fine record in the Manifesto Novices’ Chase, winning in eight of the last nine years that they were represented (the three such runners in the blank year included the 9-4 second and 16-1 third). Henry De Bromhead’s Koktail Divin, who looked a non-stayer when a ten-length sixth in the Brown Advisory at last month’s Cheltenham Festival, is this year’s sole qualifier. The son of Masked Marvel comfortably made all over 2m5.5f at Leopardstown on his penultimate start and he ran well at this meeting 12 months ago, finishing a 17-2 fourth n the Grade 1 Mersey Novices’ Hurdle. His full record over today’s sort of trip stands at 21421 (2-5) and odds-on favourite Lulamba doesn’t look bombproof after his Arkle third.
4.40 Aintree – Sans Bruit (1pt win – 100/30 bet365, 3/1 generally) & Javert Allen (1pt win – 8/1 Coral, Ladbrokes)
Sans Bruit, bidding for a hat-trick in the Red Rum Handicap Chase, is only 3lb higher than for last year’s win and 6lb lower than when scoring at Plumpton on his next start. Best at this time of year, the eight-year-old’s record in April since joining Paul Nicholls stands at 21311 (3-5) and he looks set to run another big race.
Eight of the last ten winners of this 2m contest carried 10st 10lb or less and the Jane Williams-trained Javert Allen falls into this category. The seven-year-old disappointed at Kempton last time but didn’t see out the extended 2m4f trip and will be happier under today’s conditions. The first-time cheekpieces are also an interesting angle for this family of trainers (Nick, Jane and Chester Williams), with the chasers landing six of their 15 starts in this headgear since 2018 for a profit of £42.50 to a £1 level stake at SP, with three of the beaten horses finishing second (10-1, 4-1 and 9-4).
Andrew Mount’s Best Bets Today
1.45 Aintree – Ammes (0.5pt e/w – 33/1 generally, three places, Sky Bet 25/1 four places)
2.20 Aintree – Koktail Divin (1pt win – 11/4 generally)
4.40 Aintree – Sans Bruit (1pt win – 100/30 bet365, 3/1 generally) & Javert Allen (1pt win – 8/1 Coral, Ladbrokes)
Andrew Mount’s Horse Racing Tips – Thursday 9 April
Today’s Meetings & Start Times
- Aintree – first race 13:45
FAQs: Today’s Racing Tips
What are today’s racing tips?
Andrew Mount provides his best bets at Aintree.
Which racecourses run on Thursday 9 April 2026?
Aintree, Gowran Park, Southwell, Taunton & Wolverhampton.
Who is Andrew Mount?
Andrew Mount is a leading horse racing adviser, expert pundit and journalist, contributing regularly to the Racing Post, Racing & Football Outlook, Racing Post Weekender and William Hill radio as well as providing a daily tipping column for the GG.co.uk website for more than 20 years. Follow him on X: @TrendHorses
When were today’s Aintree tips published?
Today’s tips were published at 11.20am on Wednesday 8 April 2026.
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