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ITV will be broadcasting five live races from the 2021 Grand National meeting at Aintree on Thursday. The action on day one features some high-class names, notably Tiger Roll, Buveur D Air and Native River, and we ve got you covered for the day s terrestrial TV coverage.
Aintree Thursday: ITV Racing tips
Our Spotlight experts select their best bets for the opening day of the Grand National festival
Doom Bar Anniversary 4-Y-O Juvenile Hurdle, Grade 1, 2m1f
Paul Nicholls deliberately avoided the temptation of the Cheltenham Festival with the high-class Monmiral in favour of this contest and he bids to extend his unbeaten record to four on his first try at Grade 1 level. His main rival is already a top-level winner in Adagio, who heads to Merseyside after finishing a fine second in the Triumph Hurdle at Prestbury Park last month.
Destrier looks ready to strike in Red Rum
Destrier looks sure to go well back on a sounder surface.
AINTREE handicaps, like at Cheltenham, are always devilishly difficult puzzles to unravel and that looks the case with the 18-runner Close Brothers Red Rum Handicap Chase (4.40pm).
Paul Nicholls’ Getaway Trump will be well fancied after his impressive win at Doncaster last month, but he has the burden of top weight which may prove too difficult to overcome.
Henry de Bromhead had a dream time of it at the Cheltenham Festival with six winners, so you’d expect there to be plenty of interest in his two runners, Moon Over Germany and Jan Maat.