Friday tips: 50-1 chance holds key in How To Bet £20 at Aintree

Friday tips: 50-1 chance holds key in How To Bet £20 at Aintree

By Andy Stephens
Last Updated: Thu 3 Apr 2025
It’s disappointing that the Melling Chase will feature the smallest field this century but there is no shortage of runners on the rest of the card at Aintree on Friday, with 74 declared for three fiendish but seductive handicaps 
Unfortunately, those lining up in the in the Randox Supporting Prostate Cancer UK Topham Handicap Chase (4.05) will not include my ante-post pick, Pinkerton. I’ve had to resort to Plan B and will be hoping that general 14-1 chance The Goffer can strike for Gordon Elliott and Danny Gilligan. 
The Goffer came from a long way off the pace to finish a never-nearer fourth in the Cross Country Chase at Cheltenham last month and the fact he’s got a mile or so less to engage top gear will no doubt be a niggle for some. 
However, he’s no slowcoach and his four career wins have all been achieved at up to 2m 6f. The last time he ran over the Topham trip, admittedly two years ago, he landed a valuable 23-runner handicap chase at the Dublin Racing Festival. 
He has not got his head in front since that victory, but on the plus side has slipped appreciably in the ratings. 
This time last year he ran well in the off a 10lb higher mark, being in the mix two fences from home only to fade out of contention. If he’s within hailing distance of the leaders at the same fence this time, then we should be in business. 
Most firms are offering six places for each-way players, while Sky Bet are offering seven. They make The Goffer 12-1. 
The obvious threat is James Du Berlais, who looked sure to win the Topham last year only to be collared in the final strides. He usually finds a way to get beaten, though, and may need slower ground. 
Best bet on the card is Old Gregorian, dismissed as a 50-1 chance by BetVictor, Coral and Ladbrokes for the Hallgarten And Novum Wines Handicap Hurdle (5.15). 
This Big Outsider Can End Day Two At Aintree With A Bang
He looks seriously underestimated because he is well served by decent going and ran a cracker when a close third to course specialist Cracking Rhapsody in a red-hot Morebattle Hurdle at Kelso last time. The winner franked the form when beaten only five lengths in the County Hurdle a few days later under a 5lb penalty. 
Before that, Old Gregorian had finished a couple of lengths behind Afadil when the pair played their part in an exciting finish to the Scottish County Hurdle at Musselburgh. 
Afadil has since gone close in the Imperial Cup and heads the betting here at 5-1 in some books. He demands respect, having also gone close at this meeting last year, but he effectively meets Old Gregorian on 8lb worse terms. That entitles Lucinda Russell’s six-year-old to turn the tables and quite why there is such a massive gulf in their prices is baffling. 
I was also going to have a saver on Celtic Dino as he’s a fluent-jumping novice who switches to handicap ranks after shaping well in graded company on soft ground that has blunted his speed. However, the early 11-1 on offer has shrunk to 7-1 and so I’m going to let him slide. 
Aintree is not among the 29 racecourses where David Maxwell has ridden a winner, but the amateur has prospects of putting that right aboard Off The Jury in the William Hill Handicap Hurdle (2.20). 
The combination are quoted at 25-1 and that looks too big after their near-miss in a typically competitive EBF Final at Sandown last month. 
Maxwell looked to have brought Off The Jury with a perfectly timed challenge from off the pace, only for Gavin Sheehan and Laurens Bay to come from the clouds and swipe the spoils. 
To rub salt in the wounds, Off The Jury has been pushed up 5lb in the ratings but he’s only had five runs over hurdles and is clearly on the up. 
He’s also proven at Aintree, having chased home Mister Meggit on level weights over course and distance in November. The highly regarded winner has not run since but is well-fancied for the Grade One Oddschecker Sefton Novices' Hurdle on Friday’s card. 
The one who makes most appeal in the Sefton is Moon Rocket, who is 12-1 to give Kim Bailey and Mat Nicholls their biggest success since teaming up. 
He looked unfortunate when beaten a neck  the River Don at Doncaster – the winner, Yellow Car, carried him across the track the result was allowed to stand – and I’m not sure we saw the best of him when he played second fiddle to front-running Battle Born Lad in the Albert Bartlett Prestige Novices' Hurdle at Haydock last time. 
Moon Rocket should have been freshened up by a 48-day break and the fact he’s being equipped with first-time cheekpieces suggests his handlers believe he’s got more in his locker. Yellow Car gave his form a boost when subsequently a good fourth to Jasmin De Vaux at the Cheltenham Festival. 
Finally, it would be fitting if Don’t Rightly Know upstaged the boys in the opening Huyton Asphalt Franny Blennerhassett Memorial Mildmay Novices' Chase (1.45) on what is Ladies’ Day. 
Polly Gundry’s flagbearer is the outsider of the field at 20-1, but she’s a superb jumper and is the only runner with an unblemished record (3/3) over fences.
Her past two victories have been Listed events against her own sex and, while this asks a bit more, the official ratings suggest she’s got only 6lb to find with hot favourite Handstands. Her other six rivals were all in action at Cheltenham, and she may have an edge in freshness. 

How To Bet £20 on day two of the Grand National meeting 

OPTION ONE
1.45 Don’t Rightly Know £1.50 each-way at a general 20-1 (three places)
2.20 Off The Jury £2 each-way at 25-1 with bet365 (six places)
4.05  The Goffer £1.25 each-way at a general 14-1 (six places, or take 12-1 with Sky bet, who offer seven places)
4.40 Moon Rocket £1.50 each-way at 12-1 with Coral and Ladbrokes (four places)
5.15 Old Gregorian £3.75 each-way at 50-1 with BetVictor, Coral and Ladbrokes (five places)
OPTION TWO
£1 Each-Way Patent (see prices above as a guide)
2.20 Off The Jury 
4.40 Moon Rocket 
5.15 Old Gregorian 
Above trio in 10p Each-Way Super Yankee and 40p each-way accumulator
1.45 Don’t Rightly Know 
4.05  The Goffer 

Grand National free bets:

Bet £5 Get £20 in Bonuses with Tote
New customers online only. Eligibility restrictions apply. Register between 3/4/25 and 6/4/25 and bet a min £/€5 at odds of 1/1 (2.0) or greater across sports or racing (if EW then min £/€5 Win + £/€5 Place) within 7 days of registration to qualify. Receive £/€10 Tote Credit, £/€5 sports Free Bet and 50 Free Spins on Big Bass Bonanza within 48 hours of qualifying bet settlement. Qualifying bet is the first racing pool or sports bet added to the bet slip. 7-day expiry. 18+. One welcome offer per customer. Full T&Cs apply. Gambleaware.org 
Terms & Conditions
Bet £25 get a £50 free bet with BetRino
New Players Only. Free bet - one-time stake of £50, min odds 1.5, stake not returned. 1X wager the winnings. Wager from real balance first. Wager calculated on bonus bets only. Max conversion: £200. Valid for 7 Days from receipt. Limited to 1 sport & 5 casino brand/s within the network. Withdrawal requests void all active/pending bonuses. Excluded Skrill and Neteller deposits. Full Terms apply | 18+ | BeGambleAware | #AD *Can only claim one bonus from websites that are part of the ProgressPlay network. Monster Sports is also part of the Progress Play network.
Terms & Conditions
Bet £10 get £20 in free bets with Virgin Bet
New members only. £10 min deposit & bet on sportsbook (ex. virtuals), placed & settled at 1.5 min odds in 14 days of sign-up. Win part of E/W bets. Free Bets: accept in 7 days, valid 7 days, use on sportsbook only (ex. virtuals), stakes not returned. Bet Responsibly. GambleAware.org. 18+
Terms & Conditions
Bet £10 get £20 in free bets with BetVictor
18+ New Customers only. Opt in, bet £10 on Horse Racing, 1/1+ odds in 7 days, no cash out. Get £20 in Free Bets on set markets valid 7 days.  T&Cs apply. gambleaware.org | Please Gamble Responsibly.
Terms & Conditions
Bet £10 get £40 in Free Bets with BoyleSports
New UK customers (Excluding NI) only. £40 in FREE Bets (FB) as £30 in sports bets & a £10 casino bonus (CB). Min Deposit £10. Min stake £10. 
Terms & Conditions
Follow our socials
Copyright 2025 Racing TV - All Rights Reserved.
My Account
Home
Watch
Live
Replays
On Demand
Catch Up
Tv Schedule
RTV Play Schedule
Racecards
Racecards
Today's Runners
Non-Runners
Tommorow's Runners
Racing Calendar
Results
Tips
Racing TV Tipsters
Nap Of The Day
News
All
Latest
Highlights
Columnists
Most Viewed
Free Bets
Members
Benefits
Join Offers
RtvExtra
Club Days
Magazine
Rewards4Racing
Tracker
More
Racecourses
Profiles
Responsible Gambling
Racecourse Offers
Casino Offers & Free Spins
RaceiQ
TV Authentication
Grand National Free Bets
Grand National
Royal Ascot
Cheltenham Festival
Version: production-
Update:
Patch time:
Races
Tips
Watch
Results
Menu