Aintree tips 2023, day 2: The 7 best bets on Friday's Grand National festival race card and best odds

Another four Grade Ones at Aintree, but the race of the day, for betting purposes and definitely as a spectacle, is a handicap.

It’s the Topham Trophy, run over a circuit of the Grand National course, an appetiser for Saturday’s 2023 Grand National. A full field of 30 includes four classy Willie Mullins chasers heading the weights, plus two recent winners over these big fences, Al Dancer and Ashtown Lad.

It’s a three-pipe problem right enough and though the Topham doesn’t have the same stamina demands as the National, any horse still in with a shout heading towards the famous elbow on the long run-in, will have needed luck on their side along the way.

Two against the field (to be fair, it’s a very big field): Il Ridoto and Cooper’s Cross.

They have something in common. Both were fitted with cheekpieces for the first time earlier this year in an attempt to make them concentrate and they worked a treat.

Aintree tips 2023, day 2

• 1.45 Bronn (Next Best) 7-2
• 2.20 No Ordinary Joe (Best Bet) 6-5
• 2.55 Inthepocket 7-2
• 3.30 Fakir D’oudairies 9-4
• 4.05 Il Ridoto (Each-Way) 14-1
• 4.40 Grey Dawning 10-1
• 5.15 Gaoth Chuil 9-1

Odds correct as of 13 April

Il Ridoto appeared to be wanting for stamina when flattering to deceive in competitive Cheltenham handicaps in the first half of the season, but Paul Nicholls wasn’t having that and reached for the cheekpieces instead.

He was right. Another trip to Cheltenham in January and this time a more resolute Il Ridoto hit the jackpot.

Meanwhile, on that very afternoon up at Doncaster, Stuart Coltherd’s Cooper’s Cross was transformed by the same headgear to win the prestigious Sky Bet Chase.

Gesskille has been well up to this challenge in the past and almost made the very short list, but this is one of those races where if every horse with a chance got a mention, we’d be here all day.

Gerri Colombe will be favourite for the first of the Grade Ones, the Mildmay Novices’ Chase, after failing by a whisker to catch The Real Whacker at the Cheltenham Festival.

But the third-placed Bronn, though finishing four lengths behind the runner-up, was travelling much the better turning for home and Willie Mullins’ fast-improving youngster is fancied to turn the tables at this less demanding venue.

In terms of prize money, the £250k Melling Chase is the race of the day by some margin, but it doesn’t have the sparkle of, say, yesterday’s Aintree Bowl.

Owner JP McManus and trainer Joseph O’Brien won’t give a monkeys about that if Fakir D’oudairies (also sporting cheekpieces for the first time – it’s a fashion) wins the enormous prize for a third time.

It’s quite likely. Pic D’Orhy finished in front of him when the pair were placed at Ascot in November, but the Irish chaser seemed out of sorts that day and quite clearly comes good at this time of year.