ITV Racing Tips – Thursday 9th April 2026 Best Bets for Aintree

The opening day of the Grand National Festival at Aintree will see six televised races on ITV, including four Grade Ones. Meanwhile, runners will jump over the iconic fences used on Saturday for the first time in the Foxhunters'.

We have gone through all televised races on Thursday, picking out ITV horse racing tips, and an accumulator for ITV racing.

ITV’s coverage from ITV kicks off with the Grade One Juvenile Hurdle. Mange Tout should be best suited to this kind of test after bypassing Cheltenham following a third in the Grade One Juvenile Hurdle at the Dublin Racing Festival.

Is a three-time winner over hurdles, including when winning over two miles and one at Down Royal in November.

Will be suited by conditions, and should be primed for a strong run against rivals that may want slightly further.

The Grade One action comes thick and fast at Aintree, with the Grade One Manifesto Novices’ Chase due off at 14:20.

Lulamba lost his perfect record over fences when third in the Grade One Arkle at last month’s Cheltenham Festival. But the Nicky Henderson-trained runner has won impressively on three previous efforts over bigger obstacles and holds a clear advantage based on official ratings.

Should be capable of bouncing back now up in trip.

Nicky Henderson looks good value to saddle a quickfire double at Aintree, with Jango Baie likely to be hard to oppose in the Grade One Bowl Chase.

The seven-year-old has run massive races in defeat this season, taking a close fourth in the Grade One King George, before taking second in the Grade One Gold Cup.

Was third at Aintree at the end of last season, but should be far too classy for this field if feeling no ill-effects from his big effort at Cheltenham last month.

The first race of the week over the Grand National fences comes in the Foxhunters’ Open Hunters’ Chase.

Fairly Famous could be an interesting each-way play after winning twice from seven starts over bigger obstacles. Made no mistakes on his last start when winning a point-to-point by 12 lengths.

Has run credibly in more competitive races, including when beating the winner of the Foxhunters’ at Cheltenham, Premier Magic, by four lengths at Cheltenham’s April meeting in 2024.

The final Grade One on the opening day at Aintree is the Aintree Hurdle.

Two of the first three from the Champion Hurdle reappear, with the preference being for Brighterdaysahead to confirm the form. The Gordon Elliott-trained horse was an excellent second at Cheltenham last month, finding plenty late in the day to hold off The New Lion.

Will be suited by this step up in trip after winning over course and distance by a dominant seven-length margin in April 2024.

ITV’s coverage on Thursday comes to a close with the Red Rum Handicap Chase over two miles.

Jonjo & A J O’Neil-trained Highlands Legacy looks like a very progressive contender over fences, having won for the second time over bigger obstacles last time at Windsor. Has Aintree form in the book after finishing an excellent second over course and distance behind Mambonumberfive in November.

Looks like a rock-solid contender with the yard among the winners.