2025 Aintree Grand National Meeting Day 3 Tips – DS
2025 Aintree Grand National Meeting Day 3
Jordans saved the blank for us on Friday. Now it is time for our 2025 Aintree Grand National meeting Day 3 tips, see who Dave fancies below.
1.20 – W Hill Handicap Hurdle (Premier)
Hopefully Deep Cave can get us off to a flyer on Grand National Day. Christian Williams, who is no stranger to success in valuable handicaps, trains this son of Court Cave and on bits and pieces of his form, he should be well up to winning a race off his current mark of 129.
Still only a 7yo, Henry De Bromhead splashed the cash to buy this horse after his point to point win and he got off the mark at the second attempt for that yard, winning a 2m4f maiden at Leopardstown’s Christmas meeting on soft ground in 2022. He subsequently ran a fine race when beaten 4.75l in a G1 novice at the DRF but he left De Bromhead after a below par run in a G2 at Fairyhouse in April 2023.
Cheltenham Promise
He moved to France, where he won twice in 23/24 and he joined Williams before the start of this season. A solid run on good ground over 3m at Cheltenham off 130 on his second run for the yard suggested there might be a nice prize in him and he ran well again in a hot handicap at Windsor in January when beaten just 2.5l behind Titan Discovery.
He ran off 129 that day and he runs off the same mark here. The ground will be quicker than it was at Windsor but there should be a bit of an ease given that this is the first race of the day and his fine Grade 1 run at the DRF came on yielding, so I am hoping he’ll be fine on the ground (and his full brother JPR won a G2 on good, so that’s a positive sign).
Williams had the runner up in this last year, hopefully Deep Cave can go one place better at odds of 33/1.
2025 Aintree Grand National meeting Day 3 Tip: Deep Cave e/w @ 33/1 (6 places)
1.55 – Mersey Novices’ Hurdle (Premier)
He may only be rated 127, which leaves him with a lot to find on the figures, but the step up in trip and proper spring ground might bring about a big jolt of improvement from Castle Carrock in this 2m4f Grade 1.
Given his pedigree, this fella will likely stay further than this in time. His dam is out of a sister to the former Thyestes and Ultima winner Dun Doire and his sire Mahler has produced plenty of staying types.
At Kelso last time Castle Carrock raced too keenly on his first try in graded company but he finished off his race pretty well over the 2m2f trip. This lad won his bumper by 16l on good ground at Ayr so he should relish these conditions and King’s last runner in the race, North Lodge, finished third in 2022 after running in the same Kelso race as this horse.
At odds of 25/1, a small each way interest on Castle Carrock is advised.
2025 Aintree Grand National meeting Day 3 Tip: Castle Carrock e/w @ 25/1
2.30 – Freebooter Handicap Chase (Premier)
The Ultima winner Myretown is fav for this, although he might find this a bit tougher off a 15lb higher mark. We have backed Charlie Uberalles three times over the past year or so. He finished second for us at 66s, he won for us as our 16/1 NAP in December just gone and then he pulled up for us last time out at Kempton.
He is 4lb wrong at the weights here so he’ll be effectively 7lb higher than when winning at Doncaster. At Kempton when he pulled up, he was running off 127 but I think it was the ground, rather than his mark, which stopped him that day. The ground was officially good to soft but looking at back the times on the day, I’d say there was more soft than good in it.
This horse needs proper good ground and his career form figures in chases when he has had those conditions read 14131. Aintree should suit him and he’ll be happy to slot in behind Myretown if he does go forward like he did at Cheltenham. If he can jump as well as he did at Doncaster in December, hopefully Charlie Uberalles can run a big race for us again at odds of 20/1.
2025 Aintree Grand National meeting Day 3 Tip: Charlie Uberalles e/w @ 20/1 (5 places)
3.05 – Liverpool Hurdle (grade 1)
Maybe loyalty is getting the better of me these days but we backed Buddy One when he was second in a handicap at this meeting in 2023 and we backed him again in this race last year when he chased home Strong Leader, arguably the best run of his career.
In my defence, I overcame my loyal tendencies with Buddy One at Cheltenham because I thought he had completely lost his form. However, he ran a cracker in the stayers’ to finish fifth, a good way behind the first two but only 2l behind The Wallpark in third and 1.5l behind Rocky’s Diamond in fourth.
He should love the ground at Aintree on Saturday and he clearly enjoys the track. He has a bit to find with Strong Leader on their meeting here a year ago but that horse has had a wind-op since and his last two runs haven’t been overly encouraging. Teahupoo is the one to beat but he’s best on soft ground and Kitzbuhel has stamina and class to prove.
Given how little there was between The Wallpark and Buddy one at Cheltenham, I’m not sure the Gilligan horse should be over 3x his price and if Buddy One is ever going to win a G1, it will most likely be at this track. A top 4 finish would do us though! At odds of 20/1, Buddy One is the e/w selection.
2025 Aintree Grand National meeting Day 3 Tip: Buddy One e/w @ 20/1 (4 places)
4.00 – Grand National Handicap Chase (Premier)
We are already on Beauport at 33s and Senior Chief at 33s for the big one. They will hopefully both run well but to be honest, I think I Am Maximus has a huge chance of following up last year’s win.
It is some luxury to be able to sacrifice a proper Grade 1 horse for a whole season for just one race but that is something that the likes of JP and Mullins are able to do. This horse has been going through the motions in recent runs but you can be sure that this date has been circled in the calendar ever since he won it last year.
It was such an emphatic victory too. He absolutely surged clear after the elbow and it looked like he was ready to go out on another circuit. Anyway, I am happy to stick to my guns with Beauport and Senior Chief and if Maximus does fluff his lines, hopefully they are both there to take advantage. Fingers crossed for a brilliant race and hopefully all the participants come home safe and sound.
