Dave Nevison's Aintree tips: best bets for day one

Joseph O’Brien is a master at getting a juvenile hurdler ready for the Fred Winter and having watched this one win at the Cheltenham Festival, I have a strong feeling Puturhandstogether will show himself to be much better than a handicapper. 

He travelled supremely well in that 22-runner affair before being produced with a strong, late run to come clear of his rivals after the last, and he's certainly a more battle-hardened performer compared to the other fancied runners in this contest. 

That hurdling experience will hopefully stand him in good stead, and he can make the transition from handicap company to record Grade One glory here.

Spillane's Tower has been given a break after a disappointing effort in the King George on Boxing Day where he went off favourite, but only managed fifth after a moderate round of jumping. 

His market position in that race was fully justified as his previous three efforts had yielded two wins in Grade One company plus an excellent half-length second to Fact Or File in the John Durkan at Punchestown in November. 

Spillane's Tower is likely still improving as a seven-year-old and has run very well after a longer break than this, so I imagine he will be spot on. 

He doesn’t need very slow ground to show his best form and remains a very exciting prospect. 

Dan Skelton’s gelding was available at 14-1 when I looked at the market on Tuesday afternoon, which was snapped up pretty much immediately. 

Calico missed Cheltenham, despite his most recent win coming at Prestbury Park, and has presumably been saved for this feature Aintree handicap instead. 

The last time he raced here he would not have been beaten too far by Jonbon but for falling at the last in a Grade One novice chase, and hopefully he will negotiate all the fences on Thursday. 

He is only 2lb higher than his win at Cheltenham this season and his two runs this year have looked to be building up to something like this. Harry Skelton, who won on him in October, is back on board this time and with good ground plus a strong pace likely to be in his favour, I believe he is still overpriced at a general 8-1 (although, at time of writing, double-figure odds are still showing in a few places.