Grand National 2024 Opening Day tips including top picks for every race on Thursday

BOB OLINGER can win the William Hill Aintree Hurdle (GBB Race) (3.30pm) on day one of the 2024 Randox Grand National Festival at Aintree Racecourse.

Generally the Champion Hurdle hero from last month’s Cheltenham Festival is good to follow-up at Aintree but with State Man staying at home in Ireland and Gordon Elliott’s runner-up Irish Point probably stepping up in trip for the Liverpool Hurdle on Saturday, Henry De Bromhead's nine-year-old may take the Grade One feature of the opening day at the famous Liverpool track. The nine-year-old was a smart novice hurdler, winning two Grade Ones including in the Ballymore Novices' Hurdle at the 2021 Cheltenham Festival. And despite taking to fences in good style – winning at Cheltenham again in the Grade One Turners Novices' Chase the following year – things didn't go to plan thereafter.

But returned to the smaller obstacles it seems like he has regained his mojo. Two Grade Two successes at Navan and in the Relkeel Hurdle at Cheltenham over this distance earlier this season give him a real chance of victory in the Aintree Hurdle. His second to subsequent Champion Hurdle hero State Man over the minimum distance was another smart effort. Stepped back up to 2m4f, Bob Olinger can triumph ahead of Dan Skelton's Coral Cup winner Langer Dan –who is stepping up to Grade One company for the first time.

READ MORE: Grand National 2024 full list of runners, riders, favourites and odds

READ MORE: Grand National 2024 tips including top 10 runners in Aintree showpiece

A fascinating and high-quality renewal of the Grade One Aintree Bowl Chase (GBB Race) (2.55pm) could go the way of last year’s winner SHISHKIN. Apart from dual Cheltenham Gold Cup hero Galopin Des Champs and King George VI Chase hero Hewick, some of the leading stayers are in action in the 3m2f contest over the Mildmay fences. On his day Shishkin is a match for any of them. Hopefully the Nicky Henderson Seven Barrows Stables’ woes are over and Shishkin can give him another Grade One success at a meeting which has proved fruitful in the past.

A former high-class two-mile chaser the 10-year-old has had some notable successes – and mishaps – since stepping up in distance. His win in last year’s renewal of the Bowl showed his talent but it hasn’t gone to plan since. He refused to race at Ascot in November and unseated Nico De Boinville with the King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day at his mercy.

Shishkin – like many at Seven Barrows – was forced to miss Cheltenham with the Henderson stable under a cloud following a number of reported illnesses including the mighty Constitution Hill. But hopefully that is now over and at a course and soft conditions underfoot which he has coped with without fuss in the past, Shishkin can put his best forward to become the sixth dual winner of the Bowl.

READ MORE: Caoilin Quinn back to ride Nassalam as Kitty's Light get in National

Henderson’s SIR GINO – in the same yellow and back-squared colours of owner Marie Donnelly – may already have shown the stable’s well-being in the Grade One Anniversary 4-Y-O Juvenile Hurdle (GBB Race) (2.20pm). The talented juvenile won both his starts, including an impressive victory at Cheltenham in January, and was a warm favourite for the JCB Triumph Hurdle at Cheltenham. Like most in his stable he was taken out of the meeting, although reports suggest he wasn’t affected by the illness some had. With Triumph Hurdle hero Marlborough not lining up, Sir Gino can continue his progress with victory ahead of chiefly Cheltenham runner-up Kargese – from the Willie Mullins’ stable – and the Paul Nicholls-trained unbeaten Kalif Du Berlais.

Dan Skelton’s GREY DAWNING – a fine winner of the Turners Novices’ Chase at the Cheltenham Festival – can follow up at Aintree in the Grade One Manifesto Novices’ Chase (GBB Race) (1.45pm). Grey Dawning can grab a third successive victory of the year having previously won the Grade Two Hampton Novices' Chase at Warwick before his Festival success. Grey Dawning also won at Haydock Park before Christmas.

Skelton's seven-year-old faces Cheltenham runner-up, the Paul Nicholls-trained Ginny's Destiny, again and it will be the third time they have faced off. Ginny's Destiny won at Cheltenham in December but with Grey Dawning scoring bytwo lengths at Cheltenham and he make it 2-1 in head-to-head and secure a ninth career victory.

In the first race over the Grand National fences of the meeting, the Randox Foxhunters’ Open Hunters’ Chase (4.05pm), a chance is taken on the Fred Timmis-trained outsider CAPTAIN TOMMY triumphing. Emmet Mullins' Its On The Line and his uncle Willie Mullins' Annamix probably set the standard and either could triumph if they take to the Grand National fences. But at big odds Captain Tommy – a winner of a couple of similar Hunters' Chases at Ludlow over the past two months – could easily upset the big two for Shropshire trainer Timmis. Jockey Toby McCain-Mitchell could add to his family's links with the famous Aintree fences. He is the grandson of four-time Grand National-winning trainer Ginger.

HOMME PUBLIC, from the Cheshire stable of Oliver Greenall and Josh Guerriero, can win the Close Brothers Red Rum Handicap Chase (Premier Handicap) (GBB Race) (4.40pm). The seven-year-old has won three of his four starts so far this season at Wetherby, Cheltenham and Doncaster last month. He is in the form of his life and can land a 'home' win for Greenall, whose father – Lord Daresbury – was the chairman of Aintree Racecourse for many years.

The finale, the Grade Two Goffs Nickel Coin Mares’ Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race (GBB Race) (5.15pm) may go to the unbeaten Willie Mullins-trained BABY KATE. The five-year-old mare won back-to-back mares' bumpers at Ballinrobe in August and Cheltenham in November. She can complete the hat-trick ahead of chiefly the Skelton-trained similarly unbeaten Honky Tonk Highway.

Wright Ones

AINTREE (DAY ONE)

1.45pm Grey Dawning
2.20pm Sir Gino
2.55pm Shishkin
3.30pm Bob Olinger
4.05pm Captain Tommy (NAP)
4.40pm Homme Public
5.15pm Baby Kate

BUY NOW: The ultimate guide to the Grand National 2024 on sale now

Get Grand National updates straight to your phone by joining our new WhatsApp community