Daryl Carter's Tips: 11/2 Mullins runner heads six Aintree Grand National Day selections

• Nicholls' Grade 1 winner can land another handicap

• Back the Ballyburn form lines!

• Two Aintree Grand National Bets (already advised)

• Check out our Aintree 2024 Grand National Hub

• Rachael Blackmore's Serial Winners Fund now on the final straight - read more here!

• Bet safely on Aintree Grand National Festival - read more here

• Read Daryl Carter's 1,2,3,4,5 in the Grand National

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Rachael Blackmore Superboost

Day one of Aintree saw Betfair's Superboost land as Rachael Blackmore and Bob Olinger finished in the top two on Thursday, and today we are boosting her once again onboard Minella Indo in the Grand National!

You can back Rachael and Minella Indo for a Top 10 finish in the 16:00 today at Aintree at the Superboost price of 2/13.00! (was 5/42.25).

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13:20 Aintree - Back Monmiral @ 8/19.00 1pt e/w (5 places)

I had two stabs at this 22-runner field. The first has been lined up from a long way out for Dan Skelton in West Balboa, but her price has contracted significantly since the podcast into 4/15.00. Still, the case remains below.

The eight-year-old mare caught the eye in the same prep race at Kempton as the yards Kateira, and she also finished with a flurry under tender handling. West Balboa won this race last year from a six-pound lower rating but has since given Brewin'upastorm a good hiding at this venue on seasonal return. She was so impressive on that occasion the market sent her off favourite for the Grade 1 Longwalk Hurdle at Ascot next time, but she pulled like a train and put in a no-show.

At that moment, connections likely decided to aim for a repeat win in this race, and two down-the-field efforts later, she has taken a quiet preparation for this. Still, I believe that the spring is the time to catch her at her best, and she loves this venue.

Her Aintree record reads of two impressive wide-margin victories, and she fairly tanked through this race last year, suggesting a six-pound higher mark is not beyond her. Soft ground will pose no issue with form figures of 1122, with defeats in the Challow Hurdle and at Sandown, where she hasn't shown her best form.

A flat track sees her record read 6111, and she is very hard to knock with an unexposed profile over three miles. I will be a backer on the day if I can get 6/17.00 or bigger, but that looks like a long shot.

The second offering is Monmiral - 8/19.00 on the Betfair Sportsbook - who fairly bolted up in the Pertemps Final at the Cheltenham Festival. That performance was worth an upgrade, having been posted widest at the rear of the field in a steady run race.

Hindsight is wonderful, but looking back at his qualifying run at Chepstow, it was clear the Final was his target. He remains with significant potential after just 11 runs over hurdles, having won six of those and placed second in another. His unplaced efforts came in grade one and two company at a time when he was out of sorts but still going off as short as 11/53.20 and 9/43.25.

This Aintree track hosted his excellent Grade 1 Juvenile victory and a brilliant second to Epatante in the Grade 1 Aintree Hurdle. At the same time, his other visit also came in Grade 1 company when reverting to hurdles from a failed Chase campaign in the Liverpool Hurdle last year.

Unexposed in handicaps and still holding promise from his earlier days at only seven years old, he could still prove very well handicapped. It's not every day you can back a Grade 1 course winner in a handicap!

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13:55 Aintree - Back Jimmy Du Seuil @ 11/26.50 2pt e/w (NAP)

Nichols Canyon, Yorkhill, Black Op and Three Stripe Life all came out of Baring Bingham in the last ten years to win this race, and I am very surprised to see how easy it is to back Jimmy Du Seuil - 11/26.50 on the Betfair Sportsbook - is to back.

He is the form horse in the race. Last time, he was an excellent second to Ballyburn in the Baring Bingham, with Predators Gold well back in a 25-length fifth and Ile Atlantique in third. A line through Predators Gold ties in with Caldwell Potter, given that one ran him closer than the bare result in the Future Champions in Ireland when making a bad blunder at the final flight.

Jimmy Du Seuil also ran stablemate Asian Master close when returning from a 461-day break on stable/Irish debut. Asian Master ran an excellent fifth in the Supreme Novice Hurdle, having thumped the subsequent Martin Pipe winner before that. That's outstanding form, and arguably the best with his effort behind the brilliant Ballyburn.

Those form lines must be followed particularly when the Baring Bingham winner, Ballyburn, crossed the line ten seconds ahead of the comparative Coral Cup winner Langer Dan who ran a mighty race in Grade 1 company on the opening day at Aintree and the selection crossed the line six seconds quicker.

This flat track, with more emphasis on speed, will likely suit him better than Cheltenham, and the drop one furlong in trip is an obvious positive.

He ticks plenty of boxes and is the choice of Paul Townend. He can get the better of Caldwell Potter and, if not, shouldn't be out of the first three.

Back him at 11/26.50 or bigger.

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15:05 Aintree - Back Sire Du Berlais @ BSP 1pt

There are two stabs in this contest. My hero, Sire Du Berlais, is worth chancing after giving firm signals that he is about to hit his peak form. Having had Teahupoo fully wound up for Cheltenham, it would be no surprise if connections left something to work on with him with a view to tackling this race.

Sire Du Berlais is a horse I know so well. He is one to typically catch in the spring but, more importantly, after a handful of runs (usually the fourth time). Still, given the time of year and the different approach to his racing at the age of 12, the third time is when to get after him.

His run in the Stayers Hurdle at Cheltenham indicates that he is coming to the boil and loves this venue. I suspect he has been lined up for a third win in this race.

If you are at home when the race goes live, I urge you to head to the Betfair Exchange and back in him running when held up off the pace. Given his run style, he is likely to trade much bigger - he traded at 200 in this race last year.

Pre-race backers take no shorter than 6/17.00 use BSP.

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15:05 Aintree - Back Monkfish @ 10/111.00 1pt

I can't let Monkfish - 10/111.00 on the Betfair Sportsbook - go unbacked here, either. He bled in the Cheltenham Gold Cup, but fences have always been troublesome for him despite his record.

His hurdling record is solid, and a big hint about his chances is typically when Paul Townend gets on his back. Together, they have form figures reading 1211111112, and he ran to 160 when having no right to win a Galmoy Hurdle, having been held up off a pace that failed to record a top speed figure. That's the same figure that Flooring Porter ran to when he was second in the Stayers Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, so his price looks rather large given what it required to win this race.

That was a considerable effort, and there's another big day in him. He looks worth siding with at any double-figure price, holding most of these on his back form.

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16:00 Aintree - Aintree Grand National

You can read my runner-by-runner Grand National Guide here.

You can read my ante-post column bet here.

Already advised Meetingofthewaters @ 10/111.00 2pt win
Already advised Vanillier @ 11/112.00 2pt win

Both selections are still worthy prices if followers still need to back them.

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17:00 Aintree - Back Found A Fifty @ 9/43.25 2.5pt

Found A Fifty - 9/43.25 on the Betfair Sportsbook - surprised me with how well he ran in the Arkle, and with that form boosted in the opening race of the Aintree meeting by easy winner Il Etait Temps, he can continue to give it a muscular look.

The seven-year-old disappointed at this meeting last year but ran a blinder in the Arkle, having been on the sharp end of a good gallop. Despite defeat, that was an improvement on his runs in Ireland, where he had dictated a steady gallop in three outings.

The reality is that this division is not that deep, and he is the best of an average bunch, so he makes plenty of appeal in an ask to beat similar rivals as he did at Cheltenham. This sharper track should suit his turn of foot.

The ground is of no concern; he holds the best form and, in my book, is clearly top-rated. The second favorite has 15lbs to find on ratings, and the Mullins horse has earned his rating through summer jumping. I hope that connections realise the apparent amount of pace in the race and ride him with a little restraint, and he can gain a deserved victory.

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17:35 Aintree - Back Mister Meggit @ BSP 2pt

Mister Meggit is a horse I mentioned immediately following his debut Carlisle victory for the Champion Bumper at the Cheltenham Festival. Unfortunately, he was not entered in that contest and instead went to Doncaster in a run-of-the-mill bumper to unextendedly win on the bridle.

Given his connections, it makes sense that they would bypass the Cheltenham Festival and head to Aintree. He caught the eye with his effortless victory at Carlisle, shaping like a horse with considerable promise, having shown a very bright turn of foot. That form worked out well to back up his visual observation, and the time was good during the day.

The runner-up, Denemethy, was a recent column scorer for us effortlessly at Wincanton, recording an RPR of 117 (worth much more than that) when beating Imperial Cup sixth Goonhilly. The third is a Maiden Hurdle winner rated 106, the fourth has very strong form and is rated 117, and the selection brushed them aside with the minimum of fuss.

At first glance, his win at Doncaster looks very ordinary. Still, the runner-up had been second to Willie Mullins' Port Joulain in his point-to-point, and Port Joulain won impressively on his racecourse debut at Gowran Park--a race that has a strong roll of honour list, suggesting the yard must think a bit of him.

Mister Meggit holds excellent claims. The ground is likely in his favour, and this flat track will see him to brilliant effect. He rates as confident a bet as you can have in a bumper.

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Now read Daryl's runner-by-runner Grand National Guide here

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