The 2026 Grand National has arrived, with the big race set for 40pm on Saturday 11 April. With 34 runners to sift through, it remains the toughest contests for punters.
Matty Sutcliffe has six best bets across Saturday’s meeting at Aintree. He has two top tips for the Grand National itself too.
Aintree Racing Tips (Saturday 11 April)
All focus is on the Grand National, but there is plenty of racing to enjoy at Aintree on the day. Matty has six tips for you to follow, all running at the Liverpool venue.
12:45 Aintree – Hallgarten & Novum Wines Maghull Novices’ Chase (Grade 1) (GBB Race) (Class 1) (5yo+) – Mighty Bandit 4/1 1pt WIN
Mighty Bandit became the third highest-rated novice chaser in Britain when bolting up by 17 lengths in a Class 2 Handicap at Doncaster in a performance that warranted this step up in grade.
The son of Order Of St George cost a whopping £420,000 at the Caldwell dispersal sale in 2024, but he failed to justify that price tag on debut for Warren Greatrex in the Triumph Hurdle. He could only manage a Pontefract Maiden on the flat to his name that season, and it took him until August to win again.
Despite an inauspicious start for the yard, when sent chasing this season, everything has appeared to click for Mighty Bandit. He was a staying on second to Mambonumberfive at Newbury who won the G2 Wayward Lad next time out, and was third to Koktail Divin in the Manifesto here on Thursday.
He backed that up when winning next time out under positive tactics in a race that’s seen the form franked healthily. A further two victories have ensued, and that latest performance was visually exceptional. He finds himself the joint highest rated alongside Salvator Mundi here, who was entitled to beat some poor stablemates last time out at 1/7F, and these forcing tactics on a track like Aintree can see this race suit him.
1:20 Aintree – William Hill Handicap Hurdle (Premier Handicap) (GBB Race) (Class 1) (4yo+) – Get On George 16/1 1pt EW 5 places
Progressive Getaway gelding Get On George bounced back to form last time out after a poor showing in deep ground in G2 company and he merits serious consideration if improving again from his second in the EBF Final at Sandown.
He travelled strongly throughout that race, jumping fluently in the main, and was beaten only by one making a four-timer that lines up in Grade 1 company in the following race. Get On George stayed on best of all there, and this step back up to three miles on better ground can see him in a better light.
1:55 Aintree – Turners Mersey Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 1) (GBB Race) (Class 1) (4yo+) – Montemares 6/1 1pt WIN
It can prove successful to take on Cheltenham form here and Grade 2 Premier Novices winner Montemares is a worthy candidate. My Drogo won the Kelso contest in 2021, and Montemares could’ve been called the winner from a fair way out having traveled all over his rivals, jumping well throughout.
His sole defeat came when keen in rear in a slowly run Challow behind No Drama This End, but prior to that the was two from two having won a Hereford Maiden on racecourse debut by thirteen lengths, before carrying a penalty to win at Market Rasen.
The prospect of a solid gallop in a 13 runner field looks to strongly suit him as he can be keen, and if he can follow up his strong performance at Kelso I’d expect a bold showing.
2:30 Aintree – William Hill Handicap Chase (Registered As The Freebooter Handicap Chase) (Premier Handicap) (GBB) (Class 1) (5yo+) – Mr Hope Street 11/4 2pt WIN
I’ve long thought Mr Hope Street can pick up a nice prize and he looks to have been well minded for this contest. He caught my eye during his novice hurdling days two seasons ago, looking very much a chaser in the making and I was surprised they didn’t go chasing last season.
Nevertheless he still had form figures of 21123 in handicaps last season, culminating in a competitive Cheltenham handicap. He’s had three goes over fences this season and is 0-3, but he seriously caught the eye in the Betfar Graduation Chase. He was quietly ridden in rear, but he jumped himself into contention and stayed on well past the 146 rated Knappers Hill. He was only three lengths behind Iroko and five behind the subsequent King George winner The Jukebox Man, so a subsequent 4lbs rise looks wildly lenient.
He was barely put into the race at Sandown last time, but stepping up to three miles on a flatter track and better ground can see him in a better light and this looks to have been the seasonal plan, and the yard didn’t miss much with their ‘plots’ at Cheltenham.
4:00 Aintree – Randox Grand National Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap) (GBB Race) (Class 1) (7yo+) – Oscars Brother 14/1 1pt EW 6 places + Marble Sands 66/1 0.5pt EW 6 places
I don’t think the switch to patient tactics suited Oscars Brother in the Brown Advisory last time out, jumping slowly throughout. However, he stayed on in dour fashion to be beaten just five lengths and didn’t look to be given an overly hard race.
Prior to that, he made giant strides over fences this term with form figures of 22111 and was three from three under prominent tactics, including in Grade 2’s the last twice. He beat Koktail Divin in the Florida Pearl at Punchestown in November, who franked that strongly on Thursday to win the G1 Manifesto Chase.
A staying test of this nature looks to be well suited to him, and hopefully the experience of running in a competitive Grade 1 the last day will enable him to lay up with the pace earlier here.
I’d also like to chance Marble Sands, who could also be suited to a race of this nature. The grey has a respectable 30% strike rate over fences with four wins, and has been in strong form the last twice.
He produced a smart staying performance at Cheltenham in November, circling around the outside on the turn for home and staying on strongly in the manner of a fresh horse.
He proved that was no fluke when a gallant seven-length second to the well-backed Konfusion in the Rowland Meyrick, giving him 11lbs. He still stayed on well there, and by Martaline out of a Poliglote (last years winner also by a Poliglote mare), he’s likely to be suited to this test. It’s questionable whether he has the speed to lay up with some of the genuine grade one animals, but he was second in a two mile race on the flat three starts ago suggesting he does have some natural speed, and it’s further pleasing that he had a clear round in the Topham last season.
Matty Sutcliffe’s Best Bets
12:45 Aintree – Hallgarten & Novum Wines Maghull Novices’ Chase (Grade 1) (GBB Race) (Class 1) (5yo+) – Mighty Bandit 4/1 1pt WIN
1:20 Aintree – William Hill Handicap Hurdle (Premier Handicap) (GBB Race) (Class 1) (4yo+) – Get On George 16/1 1pt EW 5 places
1:55 Aintree – Turners Mersey Novices’ Hurdle (Grade 1) (GBB Race) (Class 1) (4yo+) – Montemares 6/1 1pt WIN
2:30 Aintree – William Hill Handicap Chase (Registered As The Freebooter Handicap Chase) (Premier Handicap) (GBB) (Class 1) (5yo+) – Mr Hope Street 11/4 2pt WIN
4:00 Aintree – Randox Grand National Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap) (GBB Race) (Class 1) (7yo+) – Oscars Brother 14/1 1pt EW 6 places + Marble Sands 66/1 0.5pt EW 6 places
Mr Hope StreetMatty Sutcliffe’s Top Tips – Saturday 11 April
FAQs
What are today’s racing tips?
Matthew Sutcliffe provides his best bets for the racing at Aintree on Saturday 11 April.
When were Matthew Sutcliffe’s tips published?
Matty Sutcliffe’s racing tips were published at 12pm on Friday 10 April.
Who is Matthew Sutcliffe?
Matthew Sutcliffe is GGs newest contributor, often providing a value angle for his tips. He writes weekly columns for the weekend’s racing, as well as taking aim at ante-post markets at the Cheltenham Festival. Follow him on X: @MattySutcliffe
Commercial notice: This article on GG.co.uk contains affiliate links. The offers we promote come from operators that we trust and our experts have first-hand experience dealing with. If you open an account through one of these affiliate links then GG will earn revenue. However, we ensure that the money earned goes back into improving and enhancing our coverage of horse racing and other sports, as we look to provide an excellent service to our growing audience.