Aintree Betting Tips

The home of the world-famous Grand National Aintree has been holding race meetings since the 1800s. The Grand National is regarded as the ultimate test for jumpers with the fences some of the stiffest on a UK track and the most infamous. 

The Chair, Valentines, and Becher's Brook are etched into racegoers' subconscious with many a wager going west at those infamous fences. 

The Grand National is a British institution where all the family gathered around the TV to watch 40 seasoned handicappers negotiating the 4-mile test. 

Aintree solely races over jumps with around 7 meetings a year. 

Type of Racing: National Hunt Only. 

Highlights: The big meeting is the three-day Grand National festival in early April and all of the major races we have covered in trend blogs, you can find links in the Aintree Festival Schedule. 

Old Roan Chase Day takes place in October, the Grand Sefton in November and both the Becher Chase and Many Clouds Chase are staged in December over the national fences is usually a good pointer and prep for Grand National contenders.

TV Channel: Racing TV & ITV (Grand National Meeting)

* All statistics below are based on the previous five years at Aintree

Aintree Outright Favourite Statistics

• Handicap Chases: 20-68 (29%) +1.05
• Handicap Hurdles: 15-44 (34%) +11.97
• Non-Handicap Chases: 12-30 (40%) -1.26
• Non-Handicap Hurdles: 20-54 (37%) -10.49

Who are the best national hunt jockeys and trainers to bet on at Aintree?

Daniel Skelton has produced a total of twenty-two winners at Aintree racecourse and with an LSP of +44.50, they top the winner's list for trainers who also show a profit. If you are more of an eachway player then you may want to know which trainer is best to follow at Aintree and that would be Miss Lucinda V Russell who shows the best eachway LSP which is +36.61 thanks to their seven placings (three winners). N J Henderson does not have a great record at Aintree, their LSP of -61.00 has them stone dead bottom of the trainers' list, which has come from seventeen winners from one hundred eighteen runners which is a 14% strike rate.

Not only is Harry Skelton the most successful jockey at Aintree in terms of the number of winners but they have also returned a profit if back all of their rides, Harry Skelton has notched up a total of twenty-two winners for an LSP of +68.50. If you are looking for a jockey to follow in the eachway market then it is Derek R Fox who leads the way at Aintree, they have had a total of five placings which includes three winners over the previous five years for an eachway LSP of +38.36. A total of four winners from seventy-five rides at Aintree has Tom Scudamore at the wrong end of the jockeys' list with their 5% strike rate and worst LSP of -51.10.

Aintree Top Jockey and Trainer Combinations

Here are the best trainer and jockey combinations here at Aintree based on the number of winners:

• 21 Wins: Daniel Skelton & Harry Skelton
• 9 Wins: N J Henderson & Nico Boinville
• 7 Wins: P F Nicholls & Harry Cobden
• 6 Wins: N A Twiston-Davies & Sam Twiston-Davies
• 6 Wins: Olly Murphy & A Coleman

Aintree Top Trainers By Most Winners and a Level Stakes Profit

Trainer	R-W-P	Win	EW
Daniel Skelton	157-22-57	+44.50	+7.68
Gordon Elliott	52-7-16	+5.50	-8.94
Henry De Bromhead	38-5-11	+8.50	-6.02
Dr R D P Newland	38-5-15	+7.71	+1.85
Melanie Rowley	14-5-6	+6.35	+0.93
P Bowen	29-4-6	+9.75	-1.75
Ian Williams	26-4-6	+21.00	+4.59
N W Alexander	13-4-5	+34.00	+18.58
M F Harris	9-4-4	+22.33	+10.00
Miss Lucinda V Russell	30-3-7	+45.50	+36.61

Aintree Top Jockeys By Most Winners and a Level Stakes Profit

Jockey	R-W-P	Win	EW
Harry Skelton	130-22-56	+68.50	+30.38
A Coleman	67-13-26	+22.00	+4.25
M P Walsh	18-5-10	+11.66	+4.94
R M Power	25-4-9	+12.00	+3.65
J W Kennedy	22-4-8	+20.50	+8.07
D N Russell	16-4-8	+7.50	+2.42
Daniel McMenamin	25-3-5	+20.00	+5.95
Rachael Blackmore	24-3-5	+9.50	-2.80
Derek R Fox	19-3-5	+56.50	+38.36
C O'Farrell	18-3-4	+12.00	+3.58

The 2023 Grand National will take place on Saturday 15th April at Aintree racecourse with the race due off at 5.15 pm.

On the day of the race, you will be able to find out the best bets for the grand national above. The race itself is the most valuable jump race in Europe.

The prize fund is £1,000,000 with £500,000 of that going to the winner. On the day of the race, you can read our tipster's preview and analysis for the grand national.

The race has undergone changes in recent years. Previously run over 4m4f, in 2013 the trip was reduced to 4m2f (74yds).

Also changes to the fences themselves to make them safer for the horses. During the race, the runners will have to contend with thirty fences.

These include the likes of the famous Becher's Brook, Foinavon, Canal Turn, Valentines and The Chair so when considering the Grand National predictions, you need a good jumper.

The field will consist of no more than forty runners. Because of this is it worth shopping around, and many bookies will be paying extra places.

So consider this when looking for good each-way bets for the grand national from our racing tipsters.

On the evening prior to the running of the 2023 Grand National and also on the day itself, you will see the Grand National race listed above, look for the 5.15 Aintree.

The best bet for the grand national will be listed, this will be the runner which has received the most tips from our racing tipsters.

To view more Grand National predictions, click on the race name. On the event page, listed at the top are the most popular tips for the Grand National.

Also, our best tipsters tip for the Grand National. This is the tipster who has tipped on the race and shows the best twelve months' profit.

All forty Grand National runners will be listed. Meaning, you can see how many of our tipsters predict each runner to win.

If you are looking for good each-way bets for the Grand National then take note of the EW tips.

Each runner will have comments which are left by our racing tipsters, these are previews and analyses for the Grand National.

They give you an insight into why the tipsters believe they are top bets for the Grand National.

Things to consider when looking at the Grand National predictions. Seven of the last nine winners carried under eleven stones to success. Do the top bets for the Grand National pick out these runners? 

Ten of the last thirteen winners had run within the past thirty-five days is another factor to consider when looking at the Grand National predictions.

Another factor to consider when looking at the best bets for the Grand National is seasonal runs. You need a runner who has seen a racecourse a few times this season.

Those who had no more than two starts that season prior to the Grand National have not produced a winner from two hundred and twenty-four runners since 1997.

If you are looking for good each-way bets for the Grand National then focusing on the predictions for 8yo to 10yo runners is a good start.

These have filled 75 places over 25 races. While those carrying under eleven stone have produced 71 places over 25 races.

Check the dedicated Grand National Guide website for all the key statistics on the big race.

Visit the OLBG horse racing tips pages to view the tips and comments by the top horse racing tipsters.

On the OLBG forum, there is a whole section specifically for the Grand National where horse racing tipsters discuss their selections. 

Because the grand national course at Aintree is a fair course you do not get so many “unlucky in running horses”. It is wide enough for horses to have enough room and not crowd each other, leading to truly run races. The best horse at Aintree does generally run well. 

You should really treat the Grand National meeting (early April) as a one-off. The meeting is so prestigious that trainers make plans all season and target particular runners for these three days. 

For the rest of the season’s meetings look for well-balanced horses whose jumping is sound and give a wide berth to horses that have fallen at other tracks, Aintree may be too much of a test for those animals that do not jump perfectly. 

Donald McCain Jnr is the son of Aintree legend Ginger McCain who won the Grand National four times, including three wins by the greatest national horse of all-time Red Rum. Because of this connection look out for any horses entered at Aintree by Donald McCain Jr. 

With the Grand National meeting normally a maximum of a month after Cheltenham trainers whose horses ran well but didn’t win at Prestbury Park often look to improve on their Cotswold run with a win at Liverpool. In 2019 there were 14 Aintree winners who had run at Cheltenham the previous month. 

With so much history at Aintree the race trends are worth noting, trainer Jonjo O’Neill, for example, has a great record over the National fences with 5 wins and 8 places from 76 runners, one of his patrons is the businessman JP McManus, horses running in his gold and green colours should always be noted at Aintree. 

Look for extra place offers on big handicaps at Aintree, the bookmakers know horse racing tipsters like betting at Aintree and go out of their way to attract punters. Bet Victor, Paddy Power and William Hill often offer enhanced place terms on these big handicaps, check out the OLBG Bookmakers Guide for the latest offers and promotions.

If you are going racing at Aintree today then be sure to download the OLBG App for all the up-to-the-minute Aintree tips from OLBG horse racing tipsters.

Below is the schedule for the Aintree Festival with links to each race blog as well as information for last year's winners.

Aintree Festival races for Thursday 13th April 2023

Race	2022 Winner	Info
13:45 Cheltenham Manifesto Novices Chase	Millers Bank (GB) 8yo - 7/1	Alex Hales Kielan Woods
14:20 Cheltenham Anniversary 4YO Juveniles Hurdle	Knight Salute (GB) 4yo - 14/1	Milton Harris Paddy Brennan
14:55 Cheltenham Bowl Chase	Clan Des Obeaux (FR) 10yo - 13/2	Paul Nicholls Harry Cobden
15:30 Cheltenham Aintree Hurdle	Epatante (FR) 8yo - 2/1	Nicky Henderson Aidan Coleman
16:05 Cheltenham Foxhunters Chase	Latenightpass (GB) 9yo - 7/2	T Ellis Miss Gina Andrews
16:40 Cheltenham Red Rum Handicap Chase	The Last Day (IRE) 10yo - 12/1	Evan Williams Adam Wedge
17:15 Cheltenham Nickel Coin Mares Bumper	Ashroe Diamond (IRE) 5yo - 9/4	W P Mullins Mr P W Mullins

Aintree Festival races for Friday 14th April 2023

Race	2022 Winner	Info
13:45 Cheltenham 20 Years Together Handicap Hurdle	Langer Dan (IRE) 6yo - 4/1	Dan Skelton Harry Skelton
14:20 Cheltenham Top Novices Hurdle	Jonbon (FR) 6yo - 1/1	Nicky Henderson Aidan Coleman
14:55 Cheltenham Mildmay Novices Chase	Ahoy Senor (IRE) 7yo - 4/1	Lucinda Russell Derek Fox
15:30 Cheltenham Marsh Chase	Fakir Doudairies (FR) 7yo - 10/11	Joseph Patrick OBrien Mark Walsh
16:05 Cheltenham Topham Chase	Mac Tottie (GB) 9yo - 8/1	Peter Bowen Sean Bowen
16:40 Cheltenham Sefton Novices Hurdle	Gelino Bello (FR) 6yo - 7/2	Paul Nicholls Harry Cobden
17:15 Cheltenham Park Palace Ponies Handicap Hurdle	Hacker Des Places (FR) 5yo - 10/1	Paul Nicholls Angus Cheleda

Aintree Festival races for Saturday 15th April 2023

Race	2022 Winner	Info
13:45 Cheltenham EFT Construction Handicap Hurdle	Party Business (IRE) 6yo - 11/2	Ian Williams Charlie Todd
14:25 Cheltenham Mersey Novices Hurdle	Three Stripe Life (IRE) 6yo - 5/2	Gordon Elliott Davy Russell
15:00 Cheltenham Maghull Novices Chase	Gentleman De Mee (FR) 6yo - 7/2	W P Mullins Mark Walsh
15:35 Cheltenham Liverpool Hurdle	Sire Du Berlais (FR) 10yo - 16/1	Gordon Elliott Mark Walsh
16:15 Cheltenham Betway Handicap Chase	Sam Brown (GB) 10yo - 28/1	Anthony Honeyball Aidan Coleman
17:15 Cheltenham Grand National	Noble Yeats (IRE) 7yo - 50/1	Emmet Mullins Mr Sam Waley-Cohen
18:20 Cheltenham Champion Standard Open NH Flat Race	Lookaway (IRE) 5yo - 28/1	Neil King Jack Quinlan