Aintree Day 1 Tips: Blackmore and Codd have big chances in 24/1 Thursday double

• A Plus Tard unlucky at Cheltenham

• Mare for Grade 2 Bumper backed from 8s

• Alan Dudman plays a 24/1 double for Aintree's opening day

Bowl success beckons for Blackmore

Back A Plus Tard @ 5/2 in the 14:55 at Aintree

With no Bravemansgame for the Aintree Bowl, A Plus Tard has one less horse to worry about, and as I put up the former Gold Cup winner at Cheltenham last time, I'm keeping the faith with him to get back to winning ways.

It was a case of what might have last month, as he was badly hampered by the fall of Ahor Senor and backers were robbed of seeing whether he could have passed Galopin Des Champs.

The same words can be levelled at Ahoy Senor, the one who took the crunching fall, but A Plus Tard seemed to be going well within himself with a bit of zest, and he had traded 4.3100/30 in-running.

Question marks remain on this season's efforts, as he was pulled up in the Betfair Chase at Haydock. Two starts and two P's is not the ideal state of play.

But I'm eager to oppose Shishkin, and with Rachael Blackmore pleased with how A Plus Tard has come out of the race by saying: "Who knows how the race would have panned out, or how he would have come up the hill, but I was very happy with him at the time," he's my number one pick today.

With such short prices in the first four races, I am hoping A Plus Tard can touch 3/1 at some point.

Queally has previous in Grade 2 Bumper

Back Gaillimh A Run @ 6/1 in the 17:15 at Aintree

The Grade 2 Mares' Bumper offers an extra place on the Sportsbook for those seeking an each-way punt, but with A Plus Tard's price, it somewhat negates the each-way multiple. The odds have shortened too with the second selection Gaillimh A Run.

She has four runs under her belt and has plenty of experience in a field of a ton of potential improvers, and hopefully she hasn't finished improving herself.

John Queally's mare scored in emphatic fashion at Thurles just before Christmas to win by nearly 5L, and she followed up with a penalty with a soft ground win at Naas.

The margin of victory wasn't as superior, but the third was 8L down and from her two efforts, her time figure puts her well in the frame for this.

She also looks made for 2m4f down the line when she goes hurdling, and her trainer won this race in 2018 with Getaway Katie Mai.

Good to soft conditions will pose little threat too, as her best run was in yielding.