Grand National Festival Tips: Rhys Williams fancies 80/1 shot on day one

• Showed more spark before falling last time

• Has a good record at this track

• Ahoy Senor is overpriced at Aintree

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Timeform Superboost

Nicky Henderson's Jango Baie won the Grade 1 Arkle Chase at the Cheltenham Festival last month, continuing his streak of never finishing outside of the top three in his career (eight starts), and on Thursday you can back him at the super-boosted price of 1/12.00 (from 2/51.40) to finish in the top three in the 13:45 at Aintree.

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Watch Racing... Only Bettor Day 1 Aintree Tips!

Bowl Chase, Aintree, 14:55 - Back Ahoy Senor

Ahoy Senor returns for a third attempt at winning the Bowl and I think the market is underestimating his chance of going one place better than he's achieved in the last two renewals.

Despite having a tendency to jump out to the right, he has a fine record at this track with the aforementioned two second placed finishes in this race, a win in the Mildmay in 2022 and two third placed finishes in the last renewal of the Many Clouds Chase and the Old Roan earlier this season.

He had a wind op after two poor runs in the Betfair Chase and the Fleur Du Lys Chase and was still travelling well in front when clipping the top of the fifteenth fence in the Gold Cup and coming down. After two such dismal runs, I thought it was encouraging that he went with more spark from the off and he should get another chance to make the running in this as while some others have led in the past, they might decide that taking on a horse who can set a relentless gallop may not be the best option.

There is always the concern with Ahoy Senor that he can chuck in some mistakes and for a horse who isn't the easiest it might not be ideal that he's being ridden by someone who has only ridden him once before but, when he's at his best, I think Ahoy Senor has as much ability as any horse in this race and if it can be channelled in the right direction, he could be tough to pass. Any 5/16.00 or bigger appeals.

Foxhunters' Open Hunters' Chase, Aintree, 16:05 - Back Yccs Portocervo

I've already put up My Drogo and Joker De Mai as antepost selections for this race but there was another horse at a huge price who I was waiting to back once the declarations came through and he's in the line-up.

Yccs Portocervo ran abysmally on his first start after a break at Leicester but that wasn't a surprise. The trip was too short and he didn't shine early last season so it might be that he's the type who improves for some sun on his back.

It certainly looked that way last season when he landed a hat-trick of wins, two in hunter chases and one in a handicap, after not shining in the autumn and winter. He did, however, show some aptitude for jumping these fences when staying in contention for a long way in the Grand Sefton until fading quickly late on in very testing conditions.

It may be that it will be another month or two before Yccs Portocervo bounces back to his best but I think it's an encouraging sign that they're willing to put him into a race of this quality and they've got a good jockey booked for the job. Any 50/151.00 or bigger appeals.

Now read Katie Midwinter's tips for day one of the Grand National Festival