Aintree Day 2 Tips: Best bets for Friday at the Grand National Festival

Kevin Blake: Take Vina to down Jonbon

"While Jonbon sets the bar pretty high, I'm happy to take him on with the Gordon Elliott-trained Vina Ardanza. The five-year-old has much lower mileage than many of these, but has looked a promising horse in his career thus far.

"Having made a winning debut in a bumper at Ayr for Stuart Crawford, he changed hands and joined Elliott. He made a winning hurdling debut in a maiden at Thurles in November, travelling smoothly and getting the better of a battle with Walnut Beach by a short-head. He was absent for the rest of the winter after that and didn't seem especially well fancied for his return to action in a Grade 3 novice hurdle at Naas, but that didn't stop him running a big race in defeat."

Back Vina Ardanza @ 15.014/1

Patrick Weaver: Henderson pair can smother Mullins' challenger

"The unknown here is Mullins' El Fabiolo, and as we know the Irish champion trainer has done well with his dark horses this spring. State Man and Gaelic Warrior were thrown in the deep end at Cheltenham, yet were heavily backed and ran cracking races.

"They were more experienced than El Fabiolo, though, and the five-year-old's runs in maidens at Auteuil and Tramore do not amount to much. He is going to have to improve 10lb to beat Jonbon, First Street and Surprise Package. He has a hood on for the first time, but can it improve him that much?

"He looks a lay to me, but he is on the drift and out to 5.24/1 from 4.216/5. Set whatever limit you are comfortable with, and maybe only lay him in running at 3.55/2 if you don't lay at longer numbers."

Lay El Fabiolo in-running @ 4.03/1

Paul Nicholls: Bravemansgame has a great chance of completing five-timer

"Bravemansgame hasn't put a foot wrong all season, is unbeaten in four starts, has plenty of speed and his jumping has been mustard from day one. Heavy ground put paid to our plans to take him to Cheltenham. I felt he had a big chance there but when conditions went against him it made sense to keep him for Aintree.

"It's a bonus that Bravemansgame is fresh going to Aintree, a track that should play to his strengths, while two of his opponents had hard races at Cheltenham. I like to think he has a great chance."

Back Bravemansgame @ 2.486/4

Tony Calvin: Back Romain De Senam at a massive price

"Usual provisos apply, as regards luck in-running and taking to the fences, but he has twice run well at this track - finishing fifth in a Red Rum at this meeting - and hopefully the 10yo has one last hurrah in him.

"It is a big test for his 7lb claimer and I don't want the ground to get too testing for him - though he won by 12 lengths at Musselburgh, off just 1lb higher mark than this, in the soft on 2021 New Year's Day - but that is not deterring me at the price."

Back Romain De Senam @ 80.079/1