Horse Racing Tips: Research reveals Study might provide the answers on Day 1 at Aintree

Aintree Day 1 Superboost

Selma De Vary ran an excellent race in the Triumph Hurdle at Cheltenham, finishing a narrow fourth after being short of room up the home straight. She looks sure to improve on that in today's Boodles 4yo Juvenile Hurdle at 13:45, which is why she's 9/43.25 favourite to win the race.

She's also 2/51.40 to finish in the top three today but you can back her at the super-boosted price of 1/12.00 to finish in the placings, and with only 10 runners in the race, five of which are priced at 40/141.00 or higher, that looks an excellent price.

To take advantage of today's Superboost just click on the odds below to go directly to the Horse Racing section on the Betfair Sportsbook where you will see the Selma De Vary Superboost towards the top of the page.

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Aintree, 13.45 - Back Minella Study (nap) @ 10/34.33

There is a case for suggesting Minella Study travelled as least as well as shock Triumph Hurdle winner Apolon De Charnie at Cheltenham last month and I wonder if connections were left to rue the decision to bypass a prep run and head straight to the festival following his impressive win December win at the Cotswold venue.

The Study Of Man gelding eased to the front between the second last and final hurdle under Ryan Mania, but had a target on his back from that point and was unable to resist the late challenge of the surprise 50/1 winner.

That performance still represented a new career high for Minella Study and this switch to a flat, more speed-favouring track could produce further improvement from a horse that boasts a high cruising speed and appears yet to reach his ceiling over hurdles.

Given more higher-profile connections, Maestro Conti is likely to be shorter in the market, but Minella Study would arguably have beaten his old rival fair and square at Cheltenham but for being crossed late on by the winner and, athough Selma De Vary met some trouble in running, she was ultimately fairly well held in fourth.

All of which means Minella Study could be a touch of value to win his first Grade 1 if sent off third favourite.

Aintree, 16.40 - Back Sans Bruit @ 11/43.75

Sans Bruit to land the Red Rum Handicap Chase is probably the least original selection I've made in getting on for nearly a year of writing this column, although my loyal reader would probably point to dozens of other examples!

The eight-year-old has won the last two runnings of this race off a mark of 130 and arrives this time round on a perch of just 133 following a five-race preparation which has seen his rating tumble from 144 since the beginning of November.

The selection's stats in April, on both sides of the Channel, have yielded the impressive form figures 121211 so it is clear to everyone this is his time of year when a better surface and some sunshine see him in his best light.

He looks one of two pace angles in this race along with Javert Allen and, if he can find the same rhythmn which has served him so well in past runnings, the Ditcheat raider could be tough to pass under Harry Cobden who is often seen to great effect dictating the tempo.

Aintree, 16.40 - Back Brookie each-way @ 22/123.00

Given the action takes place on Merseyside then Brookie, an abbreviation for popular Liverpudlian soap Brookside, may prove an appropriate winner of this Premier Handicap.

Connections enjoyed a cracking day in the sun 12 months ago when their nine-year-old was runner-up in Grade 1 company behind Kalif Du Berlais, however that run also served to blow a workable handicap mark which shot up to 149 from 135.

The Policy Maker gelding has enjoyed a quiet season courtesy of just three runs, the last of which gave him no chance in the Queen Mother Champion Chase but did at least contribute to his mark dropping a little to 145.

Unlike one or two rivals in this race, Brookie looks to have been teed up for a spring campaign as quicker ground and better conditions saw him win at Sandown and Doncaster on a sound surface last season.

Anthony Honeyball's gelding is no good thing as we only have one good run this term to judge him on, however at 18/119.00 he could outrun his odds and Sam Twiston-Davies has either won or been placed on him on half of his eight starts aboard the selection so knows him well.

Back Minella Study (13.45 Aintree) and Fairy Park (17.15 Aintree) in an each-way double 

Betfair is offering Bet £10 Get £10 on Racing Multis each day of the Aintree Grand National Festival (from 5pm today), and the multi that makes the most appeal on Thursday is an each-way double comprising Minella Study and Fairy Park.

The former is fancied for the reasons detailed above, while Fairy Park impressed me in the paddock when I saw her first hand at Newbury at the end of February and, athough she has nearly five lengths to make up on the talented Princess Day, she may well narrow the gap here as she looked as though the outing would do her the world of good both mentally and physically.

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