Last Updated on 09/04/2026 by Andy Clark
ITV Racing heads to Aintree on Thursday for the first of three days of jumps racing at the Grand National Festival. Ed Chamberlain and the team have six of the day’s seven races live, including three Grade One contests.
This is one of the strongest ITV Racing cards of the season. Our tipster has a selection for every race shown live on ITV today. For full previews, tips and analysis covering every race across the three days, including Saturday’s Grand National, see our Aintree Day 1 Tips page.
Best Odds Guaranteed is available at all major bookmakers on today’s Aintree racing – take a price now, and if the SP is bigger at race time, you get paid at the bigger odds. See our Best Odds Guaranteed guide for the full list of BOG bookmakers.
Aintree Day 1 ITV Racing Free Bets
ITV Racing Schedule – Aintree Day 1, Thursday 9th April 2026
| Time | Race |
|---|---|
| 1:45 | Boodles Anniversary 4-Y-O Juvenile Hurdle (Grade 1) 2m1f |
| 2:20 | William Hill Manifesto Novices’ Chase (Grade 1) 2m4f |
| 2:55 | Racing Welfare Bowl Chase (Grade 1) 3m1f |
| 3:30 | Randox Foxhunters’ Open Hunters’ Chase 2m5f |
| 4:05 | William Hill Aintree Hurdle (Grade 1) 2m4f |
| 4:40 | Close Brothers Red Rum Handicap Chase 2m |
Today’s ITV Racing Tips – Aintree Day 1
1:45 Aintree – MINELLA STUDY
Boodles Anniversary 4-Y-O Juvenile Hurdle (Grade 1) (GBB Race) Cl1 (4yo) 2m1f
MINELLA STUDY (7/2) possibly got to the front too soon in the Triumph Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, having travelled like a dream for most of the way, leading over the last hurdle but unable to sustain his effort to the line.
He was only a short-head behind reopposing Maestro Conti, who got up on the post to deny Alastair Nicol’s charge the silver medal with Selma De Vary back in fourth.
The Study Of Man gelding had won his two previous starts, beating Winston Junior by six lengths at Cheltenham, giving him 7lbs; that rival also reopposes after a big run in the Fred Winter.
His Festival run did come on the back of three months off, and he may just have been found wanting for fitness late on; while the ground may also have been a shade too soft. Better ground here and likely to be sharper, he can resume winning ways on this flatter track.
2:20 Aintree – LULAMBA
William Hill Manifesto Novices’ Chase (Grade 1) (GBB Race) Cl1 (5yo+) 2m4f
LULAMBA (4/6) lost his unbeaten record over fences when finishing third behind Kargese and Kopek Des Bordes in the Arkle Chase at the Cheltenham Festival. Nicky Henderson’s charge can however get back on the scoresheet stepping up in trip.
The Nirvana Du Berlais gelding was perhaps finding things happening a little quickly at Cheltenham late on, but he was very much in the battle until a bad error two out knocked the stuffing out of him and put paid to all chance.
He did keep on well after, but he was unable to get himself back in the race, and post-race jockey Nico de Boinville was at pains to state his mount would benefit from more of a test. He gets that here, and the quicker ground shouldn’t pose too much of an issue, so with no Kargese or Kopek Des Bordes in opposition this time, he could prove a class above these rivals.
2:55 Aintree – IMPAIRE ET PASSE
Racing Welfare Bowl Chase (Grade 1) (GBB Race) Cl1 (5yo+) 3m1f
Jango Baie could prove tough to beat; however, he did have quite a hard race in the Cheltenham Gold Cup, and it might be worth chancing IMPAIRE ET PASSE (4/1), who ran dismally in the Ryanair Chase but not for the first time has bounced back from lesser efforts with a next-time victory.
Willie Mullins’ charge pulled up in the Ryanair, but his form is littered with poor efforts that are followed by a win and the Diamond Boy gelding is 2-2 here, scoring in last season’s Manifesto Chase, having disappointed the time before.
He had Jango Baie behind him on that occasion, and given his course record here, he gets the vote again to lower the colours of Nicky Henderson’s star, although he would likely prefer softer ground.
3:30 Aintree – ITS ON THE LINE
Randox Foxhunters’ Open Hunters’ Chase Cl2 (6yo+) 2m5f
ITS ON THE LINE (9/2) won this two years ago, and Emmet Mullins’ charge can gain Cheltenham Festival revenge on reopposing Barton Snow, who ran him down late in the Challenge Cup.
The Presenting gelding had won at Down Royal on Boxing Day before finishing runner-up in a point-to-point ahead of his Cheltenham Festival tilt, where he finished runner-up again for the third successive season.
Both he and Barton Snow are likely to feature prominently again, but given that he has proven experience over these obstacles, he shades the vote to come out on top. Softer ground would likely help, but he handles these quicker conditions fine, and another big performance could be on the cards.
4:05 Aintree – BRIGHTERDAYSAHEAD
William Hill Aintree Hurdle (Grade 1) (GBB Race) Cl1 (4yo+) 2m4f
BRIGHTERDAYSAHEAD (9/4) can get back on the winning trail, returning to this track having not shown her best again at Cheltenham last time.
The Kapgarde mare won the Turners Novice here a couple of seasons back, while she lowered the colours of subsequent Champion Hurdle winner Lossiemouth at Leopardstown during the DRF before tasting defeat behind the same rival latest.
Cheltenham has never looked her track, now 0-3 there, but a return to this flatter track and taking on more of a stamina test could see her bounce back, especially given she gets 7lbs from The New Lion, who finished behind her in the Champion Hurdle.
Softer ground would likely benefit her more, but she does handle this quicker ground and is still unexposed over middle distances over hurdles. Having done the bulk of her running at around two miles, she can win again at this venue.
4:40 Aintree – JAVERT ALLEN
Close Brothers Red Rum Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap) (GBB Race) Cl1 (5yo+) 2m
JAVERT ALLEN (8/1) hasn’t won over fences for a while, but Jane Williams’ charge could end his barren streak here with first-time cheekpieces applied.
The No Risk At All gelding last tasted chase victory at Newbury back in December 2024, but he’s largely run well in defeat since in a number of valuable handicaps, including when third to Donnacha at Cheltenham in January.
However, it is his fourth to Mambonumberfive over C&D last November which catches the eye, given how that form is turning out. He can compete here from 2lbs below the mark he finished fifth at Kempton in February, where he faded having found little for pressure, but the application of headgear now could help spark something better, and he could go well in the ITV Racing finale.
Aintree Day 1 ITV Racing Tips Summary
| Time | Selection |
|---|---|
| 1:45 | Minella Study |
| 2:20 | Lulamba |
| 2:55 | Impaire Et Passe |
| 3:30 | Its On The Line |
| 4:05 | Brighterdaysahead |
| 4:40 | Javert Allen |
More Aintree and Grand National Content
- Grand National Tips 2026
- Grand National Free Bets
- BoyleSports Grand National Offers
- Grand National Weights 2026
- ITV Racing Tips Hub
- NAP of the Day
- Lucky 15 Tips
- Best Odds Guaranteed Guide
- Non-Runner No Bet Explained
- Grand National Free Bet Deadlines
- Horse Racing Free Bets
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Brian joined the team a couple of years ago but he has a long background in writing horse racing content and betting tips. Having worked for a number of publications in the past, such as RacingTips, Brian made the move to thatsagoal and is the main content writer across flat and National Hunt racing.