Aintree Grand National Meeting Thursday Tips: Spillane's to tower over rivals for day one multiple

• Croke Park drifting to a decent price in opening race

• Spillane's Tower to deliver after a breakout season as a novice last term

• Alan Dudman goes with four horses in multiples for Aintree on Day One 

• Read Katie Midwinter's runner-by-runner guide to the National

• Read Dan Fitch's Unmissable Guide to the Grand National

• Get a completely free bet on any racing multi across 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.

To take advantage of this superboost just click on the odds in the below bet banner to go directly to the preloaded betslip.

*Please Note. This superboost is provided by the Betfair Sportsbook and not by any of our tipsters or writers.

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

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Aintree - 13:45: Back Croke Park @ 4/15.00

Gordon Elliott's Croke Park is on something of an Aintree revenge mission after flopping over hurdles at the meeting last term when pulled up in the Sefton, but he has gone the right way as a rookie chaser this term winning three of his four starts with two at the top level. Elliott remarked how disappointed he was with his hurdling season, as clearly they had high hopes, but he was big and weak and needed time and is now looking more the real deal. 

He suffered a five length defeat at the hands of Ballyburn at the DRF last time, and skipping Cheltenham is never a bad thing with Aintree in mind and with his form over further, his attributes are staying and galloping. 

Croke Park made all on his first two starts chasing at Fairyhouse, including the Grade 1 Drinmore and I can see him doing the same here in attempting to make a test against rivals and build a rhythm. He has drifted out to 4/15.00 this morning too and can hopefully set us up for the day admittedly in a top race here. 

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Aintree - 14:20: Back Puturhandstogether @ 6/42.50

One of the best performance of the Cheltenham Festival came from Puturhandstogether in the Fred Winter - who earned a Timeform rated with a p next to his name of 136 after his Fred Winter romp by six lengths. 

He looked a handicap good thing didn't he from 130? 

Handicaps are now out of the question as so emphatic was he, and I can see Aintree really suiting his style as he travelled so strongly at Cheltenham under a confident Mark Walsh ride to quicken up again. 

He enjoyed the better ground too at Cheltenham and conditions are looking similar here and has ultra-strong claims up in class - and the market agrees at a rock-solid 6/42.50 from 13/82.63 on the Sportsbook. 

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Aintree - 14:55: Back Spillane's Tower @ 11/43.75

Another of the JP McManus bretheren to go to war with today with Spillane's Tower and another who skipped Cheltenham, and indeed the DRF after his below-par run in the King George over Christmas and should take high order in the Aintree Bowl today. 

There's been a slight drift with his price this morning, as Grey Dawning holds favourite honours, but Grey Dawning still has a slight question mark for me after a bit of gimme around Kelso last time down in class. 

Spillane's Tower missing the Ryanair was a good thing in hindsight considering Fact To File's performance and his trainer Jimmy Mangan thought the ground might have been quick enough for him. 

He was a real breakout starter last term as a novice and his second in the John Durkan looks the best piece of form on offer here. 

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Aintree - 17:15: Back Seo Linn @ 2/13.00

Bumper time for me with the Grade 2 mares' race to close day one, and Paddy Twomey usually has some good mares and fillies on the Flat and Seo Linn comes into the race as a fresh horse as she's been away from the track since winning so impressively at the Cheltenham November meeting. 

She didn't short of pace at all and the way she navigated around the field with her smooth way of going was taking - indeed a couple of quick furlongs were recorded at 12.62 and 12.36 in the mid-part of the race put her into a great position, but she also impressed with the way she stayed up the hill. 

While she scored on soft at Ballinrobe, the ground won't be an issue today on her Cheltenham run and she looks some prospect. 

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Now read Katie Midwinter's Day 1 tips here

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