Randox Grand National meeting: Harry Allwood's top tips for Aintree on Friday

This seven-year-old has always been held in high regard by Alan King, and was good enough to finish sixth in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle last year.

I expect connections did not envisage him ending up handicaps, but he is improving, and a repeat of the performances he has produced in some top handicaps this season would be good enough to go close here.

After making the most of a good opportunity in January, the Kayf Tara gelding only found two well-handicapped rivals too good in the Betfair Hurdle, and was a big eyecatcher in the County Hurdle last time out having stayed on to finish a never-nearer fifth plus was closing on the leading quartet towards the line.

That run suggests the step up to 2m4f is sure to suit here and he is closely related to horses who won over this trip and further.

Although he is creeping up the handicap, and is now on a career-high mark, he is only a 1lb higher than his run at the Cheltenham Festival, and has some of the strongest handicap form next to his name in this contest.

If none the worse for his Cheltenham exertions, he looks a great each-way bet at a track he was successful at in 2019.

Notebook may have run below-par at Cheltenham last time, but that is now the third time he has failed to sparkle at Prestbury Park, and he is better judged on his previous efforts this season.

The dual Grade One winner defeated Fakir D’Oudairies with ease on his seasonal debut, plus also split Chacun Pour Soi and Put The Kettle On at Leopardstown over Christmas. That is strong form, and making the running probably didn’t suit him at the Dublin Racing Festival when he was a shade disappointing.

Despite winning on soft ground in the past, Henry de Bromhead has always said better ground suits his eight-year-old, and I think Aintree will play to Notebook's strengths.

This is a competitive race, but I expect Notebook to be waited with this time and he should get a decent pace to aim at, so is worth chancing at 15-2.

Despite being an 11-year-old, Livelovelaugh has looked as good as ever this season having gone close in two competitive handicaps on his past two starts.

Willie Mullins’ charge has been nudged back up to a rating of 140 following those efforts but went close off this rating at the Punchestown Festival in 2019, plus has also posted decent efforts in defeat from similar marks in the past.

It is his run in the 2019 Randox Grand National that is the piece of form which gives him a huge chance here, though. He ended up fading into eleventh, but if you watch the race back, he jumped well and tanked through the race before his stamina gave way.

The Grand National fences were no issue to him on that occasion, and he has the benefit of experience over these obstacles.

This trip is ideal for him, the ground conditions will be in his favour and I expect this race has been the plan all season.