04-04-2025
Grand National Festival Day 3 tips: Saturday April 5
Day three is the finale of the Grand National Festival at Aintree, with plenty of exciting action to enjoy outside the big one at 4pm, including three Grade 1 races and two Premier Handicaps.
In total there are seven contests on the final day, with four scheduled before the Grand National and two to follow.
Our betting specialist has studied Saturday's card and provided four selections for readers to consider.
Betting on Aintree? Take a look at these Grand National betting offers and the Grand National runners and riders guide that has everything you need to know, including an expert rating for each horse in the big race
Grand National Day 3 tips – Aintree, Saturday April 5
1.20 – Bill Joyce @ 13/2 with bet365
1.55 – Fingle Bridge @ 16/1 with bet365
3.05 – Teahupoo @ 5/2 with bet365
5.35 – El Cairos @ 11/2 with bet365
Odds provided by bet365 and correct at the time of writing.
If you already have a bet365 account and are looking for a new bookmaker to use for this week's racing, check out our list of the best free bets.
1.20, Aintree – William Hill Top Price Guarantee Handicap Hurdle (Premier Handicap, 3m ½f)
The opening race is this handicap hurdle where BILL JOYCE has caught our eye. He won his first two starts over hurdles at Carlisle and Sandown late last year.
Since then he has had two credible third-place finishes at Newbury and Cheltenham. Though stepping up to 3m for the first time under Rules for a handicap debut, this six-year-old gelding is better value than the unreliable favourite Jeriko Du Reponet.
1.55, Aintree – Turners Mersey Novices' Hurdle (Grade 1, 2m 4f)
The second contest of the day features FINGLE BRIDGE, who looks to have a decent shot of at least claiming a place. Like our previous selection he is another one out of the O'Neill stables and comes into this race in fine form.
After a win at Chepstow on the Flat, a two-year hiatus followed before Fingle Bridge returned with three straight wins over the hurdles this winter, which included a Listed victory at Exeter on his previous outing.
3.05, Aintree – Ivy Liverpool Hurdle (Grade 1, 3m ½f)
In the race before the Grand National, we like the look of TEAHUPOO. He will go off as favourite, which is no surprise having proved himself as a leading stayer with five successive top-two finishes.
This sequence includes two fine runs in the Stayers' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival, where Teahupoo won the Grade 1 race in 2024 and finished a strong second when defending his crown this year.
5.35, Aintree – Weatherbys Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race (Grade 2, 2m 1f)
The final race of the meeting is this Grade 2 affair. EL CAIROS is our pick. He made an impressive start to his career, after a point win in Ireland prompted his recruitment for €200,000.
El Cairos won with ease at Newbury in November and then finished fifth in the Champion Bumper at Cheltenham – in a contest where he could have done even better had he not met with some late interference.
