The Grand National Festival of 2025 continues on Friday, 4 April with four more Grade 1s on the Mildmay Course. Jonbon is the headline act in the Melling Chase and looks to bounce back after suffering yet another Cheltenham Festival disappointment.
Nicky Henderson’s solution to a mistake down the back straight in the Queen Mother Champion Chase that cost this high-profile horse victory is stepping him back up in trip. Jonbon landed the Melling Chase 12 months ago after skipping Cheltenham when a virus swept Seven Barrows.
If there’s one thing the Aintree Festival in 2025 provides, it’s a shot at redemption. Jonbon only faces three rivals in his defence of the Melling Chase before likely rounding his campaign off in the Celebration Chase at Sandown.
Elsewhere on day two of the Grand National Festival 2025, the Mildmay Novices’ Chase tests the stamina of eight steeplechasers. The Top Novices’ Hurdle is a speedier examination, but the Sefton Novices’ Hurdle is also about staying power.
Over the famous Grand National fences, meanwhile, the Topham Chase takes centre stage 24 hours or so before the world’s greatest steeplechase. Action on the Mildmay Course this Friday also includes a couple of handicap hurdles.
There’s enough to keep punters and traders alike on horse racing betting sites pretty busy, then. So too our experts, who cast their eye down the card on Merseyside in search of some Friday fancies. Here’s what they like at the Liverpool venue and why.
Grand National Festival 2025 Day 2 Preview
1:45 – 3m 1f Grade 1 Mildmay Novices’ Chase
If Caldwell Potter can’t follow-up, then Handstands is a major threat stepping back up in trip for Ben Pauling. His Scilly Isles defeat of Jango Baie around Sandown has been advertised by the runner-up going one better in the Arkle. Don’t forget about the only previous Aintree winner in the line-up, though.
That is Dancing City, who beat Stellar Story here in the Sefton 12 months ago on this card. Willie Mullins hopes a return to Merseyside can revive the former’s fortunes. The latter won last term’s Albert Bartlett and ran second in the Brown Advisory at Cheltenham for Gordon Elliott and Gigginstown House Stud.
Even Joseph O’Brien runner Jordans, another unexposed over the trip, and Polly Gundry mare Don’t Rightly Know, who receives weight all-round, have a squeak of getting in amongst the market principals on the pick of their form. Class may tell in the end, however, and Caldwell Potter is from an excellent jumping family.
2:20 – 2m 4f William Hill Handicap Hurdle (Premier Handicap)
He’s done it again! 🙌
Back-to-back wins in the feature @Betfair Imperial Cup Handicap Hurdle for the admirable Go Dante, with the nine-year-old forging ahead close home to score for the @Sean_Bowen_ and @O_J_murphy91 combination 🥇 pic.twitter.com/qZAlEAeg7U
— Sandown Park (@Sandownpark) March 8, 2025
Jonjo O’Neill also saddles joint-bottom weight Wellington Arch, who just finished in front of re-opposing rival Blenkinsop around Uttoxeter. Both hit the frame that day, but take each other on again with better underfoot going. Tintintin wasn’t far behind Wreckless Eric at Sandown either, so has claims for Fergal O’Brien.
Punters should always be wary of handicap debutants in these races, so Wade Out commands respect off a workable mark of 128. Listentoyourheart also fits the bill, but Dan Skelton stable jockey and brother Harry rides beaten Coral Cup favourite Be Aware. That one must improve on eighth place at Cheltenham, whilst the former has conditional jockey Harry Atkins taking a handy 7lb off.
From those higher in the weights, meanwhile, this 2m 4f trip could bring more out of last season’s Scottish Champion Hurdle hero Favour And Fortune and Sam Thomas inmate Steel Ally. JP McManus owned pair Impose Toi, who frames the handicap, and Kopeck De Mee have it to do off their current marks on this quicker ground.
2:55 – 2m 103y Grade 1 Top Novices’ Hurdle
Sign, sealed delivered by @JohnnyBurke2
🏆 Tripoli Flyer takes the win in the Ladbrokes Dovecote Novices’ Hurdle 🏆#ITVRacing | @FOBRacing | @kemptonparkrace pic.twitter.com/i52iADCU8m
— ITV Racing (@itvracing) February 22, 2025
Fergal O’Brien has probably had this race in the back of his mind all along. Tripoli Flyer was unlucky not to win at this meeting on Grand National day 12 months ago, but can go one better. Of the others, last year’s Mares’ Bumper heroine Diva Luna could go well now returned to this easier track.
Also worth a look each way is Lucinda Russell’s Scottish raider Jet To Vegas, who ran out a ready winner of a Grade 2 on home turf at Kelso. It’s surprising to see Neil King run Rubber Ball at this level off a mark of 128, meanwhile, as he looks potentially well-handicapped. The others make little appeal with Royal Infantry most disappointing when turned over at odds-on around Haydock.
3:30 – 2m 4f Grade 1 Melling Chase
With just three rivals against him, a clear round wins it. El Fabiolo has defied Jonbon before, but his own odds-on defeat in the Webster Cup around Navan raises serious question marks. The bigger threat may come from Protektorat, but he didn’t follow-up on Ryanair Chase glory in this race 12 months ago.
A poor fourth when defending that crown at Cheltenham is arguably a worse run than Jonbon’s latest effort. Completing the Melling Chase line-up this year is another Simon Munir and Isaac Souede horse in Matata. He’s the likely pace angle for Nigel Twiston-Davies here, but will his stamina last the extra half-mile after fading into third around Newbury in the Game Spirit?
4:05 – 2m 5f Topham Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap)
Although behind Latenightpass on both occasions, The Goffer is a younger horse aged nine. He also fits the ratings profile which, in recent years, has moved away from those carrying heavier weights. Danny Gilligan now takes the ride on The Goffer, who looks the pick of Elliott’s trio.
Last year’s runner-up James Du Berlais has obvious claims, but so do other Mullins mounts. They include Glengouly and Adamantly Chosen, who both have Aintree experience too. Henry De Bromhead and Nicky Henderson run two apiece, meanwhile, with old rivals Shantreusse and Fantastic Lady taking each other on again.
They finished seventh and sixth behind James Du Berlais 12 months ago. Towards the foot of the weights are a couple of others who know what the fences are like. Henry Daly saddles Lounge Lizard, who missed the Topham last season but has landed the same prep race around Huntingdon. Escaria Ten won’t mind the good ground for Martin Keighley and runs in a first-time visor.
4:40 – 3m 147y Grade 1 Sefton Novices’ Hurdle
A winner for @gelliott_racing as Familiar Dreams bolts up in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Shannon Spray Mares Novice Hurdle in the hands of @GainfordJordan 🏆@IrishEBF_ pic.twitter.com/9kwqIqRJYK
— Limerick Races (@LimerickRaces) March 13, 2025
There are plenty of dangers, however, headed by stable companion Jacobs Ladder and Henderson’s Califet En Vol. Both should improve for this longer trip and skipped Cheltenham to run here. O’Neill looks to have laid out course winner Mister Meggitt too, but he’s light on hurdling experience.
Battle Born Lad has no stamina doubts with Mark Walford’s runner landing the Grade 2 Prestige at Haydock last time. He readily accounted for Moon Rocket that day. French raider Jet Blue flopped in the Albert Bartlett and again encounters quicker going than ideal on Merseyside. The rest of the field have quite a bit to find on either form or ratings.
5:15 – 2m 103y Class 2 Conditional Jockeys’ And Amateur Riders’ Handicap Hurdle
Also in the frame in Scotland behind Alnilam was Russell’s Old Gregorian, who again has 7lb claimer Conner McCann aboard. Back in fourth was Slugger, one of two for Harry Derham with claims. Connections book Irish amateur Finian Maguire now. The yard also has Lario with John Gleeson taking over in the saddle and 3lb off.
Favourite Afadil ran third in this 12 months ago, but seems to always found one or two too good these days. Fiercely Proud could have more races in him with Callum Pritchard removing 5lb from his back. One at the foot of the weights, but not running from out of the handicap is Tony Martin’s Irish raider Hamsiyann, who looks dangerous dropped back in trip.
On a form line through Wade Out, a fancy for the 2m 4f handicap earlier on the card, Celtic Dino could be well-treated for Sam Thomas and Dylan Johnston. The same trainer and owners frame the weights with Lump Sum, who Will Biddick rides. Plenty of others could get involved in a tough concluding race.
