Grand National 2025 tips: Friday's best bets, NAP and Newsboy's 1-2-3 for every race
It's Ladies Day, day two of the three day Randox Grand National meeting which culminates in the Grand National on Saturday. Top tipster Newsboy shares his selections for Friday's action
The Randox Grand National meeting continues with the hugely popular Ladies Day at Aintree on Friday with another cracking second day card featuring the likes of Jonbon, El Fabiolo and Protektorat, who along with Cheltenham Festival winner Caldwell Potter will attempt to make it another memorable day in Liverpool for co-owner, ex-Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson.
A field of 30 horses will line up for the Topham Chase, the last race over Grand National fences before the big race itself on Saturday. Find out which horses top tipster Newsboy likes and his 1-2-3 for the seven race card.
1.45 HUYTON ASPHALT FRANNY BLENNERHASSETT MEMORIAL MILDMAY NOVICES' CHASE
NEWSBOY’S 1-2-3: 1 DANCING CITY, 2 HANDSTANDS, 3 CALDWELL POTTERDANCING CITY gets the vote to bounce back from a no-show at Cheltenham last month.Willie Mullins’ eight-year-old will win nothing if he repeats his last-of-six-finishers effort behind stablemate Lecky Watson in the Brown Advisory Novices' Chase, in which Stellar Story took second with Quai De Bourbon failing to complete.
But there are reasons to expect better today - Dancing City and Danny Mullins got no peace up front and the eight-year-old wasn’t given a hard time after a mistake at the third-last obstacle.Prior to that reverse, my selection had looked poised to take high rank as a rookie chaser, following a success at Punchestown in December on his debut in the sphere with a Grade 3 victory at Naas at the end of January.
It’s worth recalling that Dancing City, on whom Paul Townend is back in the saddle, followed a defeat in the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle with a five-and-a-half-length margin in the Grade 1 Sefton Novices’ Hurdle here 12 months ago, and he shouldn’t be written off.
Handstands goes from strength to strength over fences and is feared most, ahead of Caldwell Potter and Stellar Story.
2.20 WILLIAM HILL HANDICAP HURDLE
NEWSBOY’S 1-2-3: 1 FAVOUR AND FORTUNE, 2 WADE OUT, 3 IMPOSE TOIFAVOUR AND FORTUNE rates worth a try at two and a half miles and is capable of rewarding each-way support - at the least.
Last season, the son of Soldier Of Fortune showed some smart form over timber - he finished second in the Grade 1 Formby Novices’ Hurdle here on Boxing Day 2023 and ended the campaign with a victory in the Scottish Champion Hurdle, a Grade 2 handicap, at Ayr in April.
Favour And Fortune hasn’t hit those heights this term, returning with a distant sixth at Ascot four days before Christmas.
But there was more to like about a staying-on fourth to the well-treated Joyeuse in the Betfair Hurdle at Newbury in February, and Tom Cannon’s partner had excuses when a well-beaten 12th in Kelso’s Morebattle Hurdle last time - he collided with the rail and stumbled on the home turn.
Both his style of running and pedigree suggest the step up from two miles will trigger progress, so Favour And Fortune appeals from a mark just 1lb above his Ayr win last spring. Wade Out, Impose Toi and Be Aware are at the top of a very long list of dangers.
2.55 TRUSTATRADER TOP NOVICES' HURDLE
NEWSBOY’S 1-2-3: 1 TRIPOLI FLYER, 2 ROMEO COOLIO, 3 JET TO VEGASTRIPOLI FLYER is a going-places performer with the scope to make his presence felt at the top level - particularly if he can brush up his hurdling.
A fine second in the Grade 2 bumper that closed the Grand National card 12 months ago, the Fergal O’Brien-saddled son of Getaway improved on a second at Chepstow in November on his obstacles bow with a 29-length demolition job at Market Rasen three weeks later.
Tripoli Flyer followed up a penalty under Johnny Burke at Musselburgh in February before a move up to Grade 2 level for the Dovecote Novices’ Hurdle at Kempton Park, where the six-year-old made light of some untidy jumping to beat Miami Magic by seven and a half lengths, with Blues Singer well held in fourth, last time.
A temperature ruled my selection out of the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham but Tripoli Flyer is now back in rude health and still has plenty more to give.
Romeo Coolio is respected on his third in the Cheltenham Festival’s opener - Salvator Mundi was fifth and Karbau 10th - while Jet To Vegas is also on the up.
3.30 MY PENSION EXPERT MELLING CHASE
NEWSBOY’S 1-2-3: 1 JONBON, 2 PROTEKTORAT, 3 EL FABIOLOJONBON is rightly a warm order to keep hold of the crown he captured last April.
Eyebrows might ordinarily be raised that a horse beaten 18 lengths into second place in Cheltenham’s Queen Mother Champion Chase should go off at odds on for his next assignment at the top level.
But the uncomfortable truth is that Nicky Henderson’s stable stalwart is a better horse away from the home of National Hunt racing, where he has suffered four defeats - his only four defeats of a richly endowed career.
Sent off the 5-6 favourite for the Wednesday feature, Nico de Boinville’s mount crashed into the ninth fence, a mistake that relegated him to last of the eight runners.
That he could take the silver medal back to Seven Barrows speaks volumes for both his ability and his fighting spirit.
Earlier in the campaign, Jonbon had followed a win in Cheltenham’s Grade 2 Shloer Chase in November with top-level triumphs in the Tingle Creek Chase at Sandown Park and Ascot’s Clarence House Chase on his next two outings.
Although he made his name at two miles, Jonbon is proven at this trip - he held Conflated by a length and a quarter 12 months ago - and he stands out. Protektorat is the choice for second, with El Fabiolo filling the final place on the podium.
4.05 RANDOX SUPPORTING PROSTATE CANCER UK TOPHAM HANDICAP CHASE
NEWSBOY’S 1-2-3: 1 SHANTREUSSE, 2 JAMES DU BERLAIS, 3 LATENIGHTPASSSHANTREUSSE ran well enough in this race 12 months ago to make him of interest from the same handicap mark this time around.
All had been going well on his first encounter with the National fences in the 2024 Topham Chase - Shantreusse had gone round without alarm and held a prominent pitch - when the wheels came off at the 14th of the 18 obstacles.
A untidy leap caused the Henry de Bromhead-trained nine-year-old to lose his balance on landing and forfeit significant ground on the leaders.
The damage was done at the point, leaving Shantreusse and Darragh O’Keeffe unable to make any further impression in returning a 20-length seventh behind Arizona Cardinal.
That proved to be my selection’s final outing of the season and, while he has yet to hit the target in four attempts this term - Shantreusse still seeks a first fencing success to go with his two scores over hurdles - a three-length second to the progressive Prince Palace at Navan at the beginning of last month represents something to build upon.
Dangers lurk at every turn in a wide-open heat, with last year’s runner-up James Du Berlais, Aintree specialist Latenightpass and young up-and-comer Bad all meriting a second look.
4.40 CLOSE BROTHERS RED RUM HANDICAP CHASE
NEWSBOY’S 1-2-3: 1 CALIFET EN VOL, 2 MISTER MEGGIT, 3 WESTERN KNIGHTCALIFET EN VOL has already achieved a high level of form and another personal best is on the cards now he tackles three miles for the first time.
Purchased for £145,000 on the strength of a full-of-promise second in a point-to-point at Lingstown in Co Wexford in December 2023, Califet En Vol went into training with Nicky Henderson.
Third in an Ayr bumper at the Scottish Grand National fixture last April, the six-year-old then scored with authority when making his hurdles debut at Kempton Park in November.
Subsequent events have shown that a second to The New Lion - the winner captured the Turners Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham last month - at Newbury in November was no disgrace.
And Califet En Vol demonstrated he is ready to go up in trip when beating No Questions Asked by half a length in a Listed contest over an extended two miles and three furlongs at Huntingdon last time.
My selection still has more to offer and can win again, with Mister Meggit, Battle Born Lad and Western Knight set for supporting roles.
5.15 HALLGARTEN AND NOVUM WINES HANDICAP HURDLE
NEWSBOY’S 1-2-3: 1 DIAMONDS FOR LUCK, 2 AFADIL, 3 MOON CHIMEDIAMONDS FOR LUCK is on a roll for the in-form Olly Murphy - and he hasn’t finished yet.
The son of Diamond Boy opened his career over hurdles with second placings at Uttoxeter and Ffos Las in the autumn, making it third time lucky in the discipline with a six-length winning margin at Wetherby 18 days before Christmas.
My selection returned from eight weeks off to defy a penalty at Sandown Park at the start of February before completing the hat-trick with a 19-length defeat of Cornish Comedy at Taunton at the end of that month.
Diamonds For Luck now makes his first start in handicaps and a British Horseracing Authority mark of 122 looks well within range.
Factor in that jockey Lewis Saunders, who claims a 7lb allowance, boasts an impressive 22 per cent strike rate over timber and everything is in place for a good run.
Friday’s finale is a race of myriad possible outcomes, with Afadil, Jack Hyde and Moon Chime just three horses who can show to the fore.