Three top-class days of jumps racing lie ahead and our top team mark your card.

It’s only been 27 days since the Cheltenham Festival ended but the drama that’s about to unfold at Aintree over the next three days will rival anything we’ve seen up the road at Anfield this season.

The Grand National Festival comes under orders on Thursday with the feature race of the fiesta being Saturday’s Grand National extravaganza.

But there’s a few fences to negotiate – literally – before the starter raises his flag on the world’s most famous horse race.

To help you negotiate each day’s obstacles we’ve enforced some star names’ contractual obligations so Ruby Walsh, Harry Cobden, Johnny Dineen, Patrick Mullins and Matt Chapman return with one goal. To bring you some winners.

You can find all the latest horse racing odds at Paddy Power as we build up to Saturday’s feature race. The showpiece is the talk of the town so get clued up with the Grand National betting here!

All that’s left is to engage your fingers and thumbs in unison and scroll down for our pundits’ picks for the first day of 2026 Aintree fiesta. You can also download and share Paddy’s Cheat Sheet by clicking or tapping HERE.

13:45: Boodles Anniversary 4-Y-O Juvenile Hurdle (2m1f)Ruby Walsh

Selma De Vary is a light, narrow filly, and I wonder how many runs she’s going to take this season? MINELLA STUDY could be the one to improve from Cheltenham to Aintree. He’s my best bet of the day.

Harry Cobden

I’m on WINSTON JUNIOR in the opener at Aintree on Thursday and he’s got a brilliant chance. This is a pretty competitive race and a few of these horses had hard races at Cheltenham. This could depend on what bounces out well but I like his chances and he should run well.

Johnny Dineen

A few of the Triumph Hurdle placed horses reappear but the value may lie with WINSTON JUNIOR who didn’t get the best of runs when second to Saratoga at the Cheltenham Festival.

Patrick Mullins

SELMA DE VARY has come out of her Cheltenham run, where she was fourth in the Triumph Hurdle, very nicely. Aintree’s flat track should suit her better. A strong gallop and the long straight will allow her to aim at the leaders and help her settle effectively. With a clear run she can go very close and reverse the form with Maestro Conti and Minella Study who finished ahead of her behind my mount that day, Apolon De Charnie.

Matt Chapman

The Triumph Hurdle form is bang in the mix here with all the placed horses back in action. The joker in the pack might be MANGE TOUT (each-way), who will be fresh having missed Cheltenham. The filly was third – a place behind Selma de Vary – when last seen at Leopardstown but that was in heavy ground and I suspect she just got a bit bogged down.

14:20: Manifesto Novices’ Chase (2m4f)Ruby Walsh

LULAMBA looks better than his opposition. This 2m 4f trip will suit his market rival, Koktail Divin, but it looks right up Lulamba’s street too. There should be a strong pace to aim at, which should set it up perfectly for his stamina to kick in, and he should come out on top.

Harry Cobden

BLUEKING DOROUX has it all to do and he’s the big outsider in this field. It’s going to be a very tough race for him. He’s only small and fences are a fair effort for him. He’s been chucked in the deep end but we’ll see if we can sneak him into a place.

Johnny Dineen

KOKTAIL DIVIN loves to front run and could get these off the bridle if those tactics are employed again. It only takes one error in behind on a speed track like Aintree to be playing catch up. He could be a vlaue play against the odds-on favourite Lulamba.

Patrick Mullins

LULAMBA jumped and travelled much better in the Arkle Chase at Cheltenham and with the step up in trip now to 2m 4f – this race looks like his to lose.

Matt Chapman

I don’t think we saw the best of LULAMBA in the Arkle where he was only third behind Kargese. This trip is going to really suit him and for me he’s much the best for Nico de Boinville and Nicky Henderson. The condition will be perfect for a Hendo inmate and Lulamba looked special in the Game Spirit against more experienced types. 

14:55: Aintree Bowl Chase (3m1f)Ruby Walsh

I’m opposing Jango Baie as I’m always wary of horses who ran in the Gold Cup coming to Aintree. He could be vulnerable to the fresher SPILLANE’S TOWER, who skipped Cheltenham, and he’s the one I’m siding with. I’m hoping there’ll be enough cut in the ground for him to line up, and if he does, those fresh legs could come to the fore!

Harry Cobden

This is a red-hot race and it’s very competitive. PIC DORHY is very fresh and I worked him on Tuesday morning. He went quite nicely but he’ll either run really well or no race at all, there isn’t really an in between with him! I usually know after about two fences what mood he’s in!

Johnny Dineen

SPILLANE’S TOWER was a late non-runner in the Cheltenham Gold Cup and comes into this contest fresher than most. He was a good winner over this trip at Cheltenham in January with subsequent Gold Cup fourth, Grey Dawning, well beaten that day. He’s had a stop-start career, but when he’s right, Jimmy Mangan’s runner is very good.

Patrick Mullins

A horse can have an off day and that’s what it looks like happened to IMPAIRE ET PASSE at Cheltenham. He beat Jango Baie here 12 months ago and I think he’s got the best form of his rivals in this contest. There’s only five runners and he can beat likely favourite Jango Baie and the other Irish raider Spillane’s Tower.

Matt Chapman

Last year’s Arkle winner JANGO BAIE has progressed well this season and was a fine second to Gaelic Warrior in the Cheltenham Gold Cup. This track and trip probably will be ideal, and he has fair form here, having won a Grade 1 as a novice hurdler. He was third in the Manifesto Chase last season after which he had a wind operation. Will be very hard to beat. 

15:30: Randox Foxhunters’ Open Hunters’ Chase (2m5f)Ruby Walsh

The drop in trip looks absolutely tailor-made for BARTON SNOW and he can do the Cheltenham-Aintree double. He just looks extremely versatile. He has the speed, he’s a low, slick and accurate jumper, and he is going to take all the beating.

Harry Cobden

I’m not riding in the Foxhunters’ Open Hunters’ Chase but I do like JOKER DE MAI’S chances. He’s been a decent horse on his day and I can see him getting in a good rhythm around there.

Johnny Dineen

ITS ON THE LINE was agonisingly beaten into second for the fourth time in a row at the Cheltenham Festival in the Hunter Chase. However, he won this contest in 2024 and went on to win at Punchestown last season after those defeats. He can gain some more Cheltenham compensation again for jockey Derek O’Connor and Irish Grand National winning trainer, Emmet Mullins.

Patrick Mullins

UNEXPECTED PARTY has been running well in competitive chases this season off a mark of 147 and the Skeltons’ have aimed their 11-year-old at this Hunter Chase. You wouldn’t be able to do that in Ireland but the rules are different in England. He could be a class above what he faces now over the 2m 5f trip. The Aintree track and fences should suit too.

Matt Chapman

Over the Grand National fences in the Randox Foxhunters’ Open Hunters Chase over 2m5f. MUSIC DRIVE has no experience of these fences but he ran a belter at Cheltenham when third to the re-opposing Barton Snow and his long odds make him an each-way play against the hot favourite. Ellie Callwood should get a great spin for Kelly Morgan. 

16:05: Aintree Hurdle (2m4f)Ruby Walsh

THE NEW LION can turn around the Champion Hurdle form with Brighterdaysahead. Potter’s Charm adds a solid pace angle to the race, which should play to his strengths. I’m not convinced Alexei will get the 2m 4f trip, and while Golden Ace is consistent, I can’t see her getting any closer to the market principals.

Harry Cobden

No ride for me in the Aintree Hurdle which looks a brilliant race. It could be hard to pick the winner but The New Lion is going to be primed for this. He’ll be in the mix and so will Brighterdaysahead. The forgotten horse in the race is GOLDEN ACE. She looks a little bit slower than this time last year but maybe she’ll like the 2m4f trip.

Johnny Dineen

A small but select field where THE NEW LION can reverse the Champion Hurdle form with Brighterdaysahead. He’s still very lighly raced and is improving with each run. He’s my best bet on the opening day at Aintree.

Patrick Mullins

The step up to to 2m 4f should suit BRIGHTERDAYSAHEAD after she chased Lossiemouth home in the Champion Hurdle. I expect her to confirm that form with The New Lion despite him also being suited by the step up in trip.

Matt Chapman

POTTERS CHARM (each-way) is the one who is interesting as he didn’t have a hard race at Cheltenham. A former crack novice and Grade 1 winner at this track, Potters Charm rather lost his way in 2025 after wind surgery. However, he’s been right back to form this term with decent victories at Windsor and Fontwell. He only has 6lb to find with the best of these and is very long odds for a horse who will be suited by everything he faces

16:40: Close Brothers Red Rum Handicap Chase (2m)Ruby Walsh

WONLEG at a reasonable price in a competitive-looking affair. He hasn’t run since Leopardstown at Christmas time, when he was third behind Release The Beast, who franked that form when finishing fourth in the Grand Annual. He remains completely unexposed with plenty of upside, and he could be an improver off a mark of 129.

Harry Cobden

SANS BRUIT went to Plumpton after Aintree last year and won a big pot. He struggles with the winter ground and he’s a spring horse. I saw him work nicely on Tuesday morning and he’s a better horse with the sun on his back. He needs to bounce back from a few disappointing runs but hopefully he can run a big race.

Johnny Dineen

Henry de Bromhead’s INTHEPOCKET was just getting into contention in the Grand Annual when falling at the second last. I’m not saying he’d have won but he likely would have placed and it was another sign that he is returning to something like his best form. He was a Grade 1 winner over hurdles here in 2023.

Patrick Mullins

HIGHLANDS LEGACY is lightly-raced and unexposed and wasn’t harshly treated for his win at Windsor in mid January. The Jonjo O’Neill team are having a fantastic spring and their seven-year-old can continue his improvement and win here.

Matt Chapman

Petit Tonnerre is a lurker, but I’d be pretty sure last year’s winner SANS BRUIT has been laid out for a repeat victory by Paul Nicholls. Harry Cobden can take the ride on him and he went up from 130 to 139 after his success here 12 months ago. He ended up on 144 after a victory at Plumpton. However, he’s down to 133 now and could be thrown in.

17:15: Goffs Nickel Coin Mares’ Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race (2m1f)Ruby Walsh

PRINCESS DAY ran on strongly at Newbury on her last start, and the long straight at Aintree should really play to her strengths. They’re likely to get racing a long way from home and as she’s a point-to-point winner over three miles, that enhances her stamina claims. She can bring up the hat-trick under rules in the lucky last. 

Harry Cobden

Princess Day is near the top of the market and she’s very good. FAIRY PARK couldn’t beat her at Newbury in February but I can see Joe Tizzard’s horse improving. She’s the value at a bigger price.

Johnny Dineen

The mares’ bumper is wide open so it may pay to take one at a price. FAIRY PARK was second on her rules debut at Newbury in February for the Joe Tizzard stable, having joined from Ireland after her point-to-point win. That was a decent effort and at the prices, she looks an each-way play.

Patrick Mullins

If I wasn’t suspended and had a choice in this, I’d put my hand up for TI’MAMZEL for Gary & Josh Moore. I was down the field on Wonderful Everyday when she won a Listed race at Huntingdon and I was impressed with her then. She followed up at Sandown and can bring up the hat-trick now.

Matt Chapman

I’ll chance TI’MAMZEL (each-way) for Gary and Josh Moore and Caoilin Quinn. Already a winner at Huntingdon and Sandown, the mare stayed on well last time.

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