Racing at Aintree today
When Aintree races, the card and The Overlay's read on every runner appear here. Tap through for the full field.
The track
A flat, left-handed jumps circuit with two very different courses: the sharp, fair Mildmay course, and the singular Grand National course with its huge, drop-fenced obstacles.
The National course
The Grand National is run over about four and a quarter miles with thirty fences, including Becher's Brook, The Chair and the Canal Turn. Jumping, stamina and luck in running all count.
The Mildmay course
A sharper, flatter, fairer circuit used for the meeting's Grade 1 chases and hurdles. It rewards a slick jumper with a turn of foot rather than a pure slogger.
Speed and jumping
Aintree is flatter than Cheltenham, so it can suit a quicker, more nimble type. Bold, accurate jumping over the big National fences is at a premium.
The three-day festival
The Grand National meeting each April spreads Grade 1 action across three days, building to the National itself on the Saturday.
Draw & pace
How the shape of a race tends to play at Aintree. A tendency is a question to ask, not a rule.
Over the National course, safe, bold jumping is everything. A horse that treats the drop fences well and stays out of trouble has a huge edge.
The National is a marathon. Proven stamina, a good weight and course experience over the unique fences are the qualities to look for.
On the flatter Mildmay course a quicker, more agile jumper with a finishing kick is favoured over a one-paced stayer.
There is no stall draw over jumps. Over the National fences, a clean passage and bold jumping matter far more than any starting position; on the Mildmay course, a handy, economical run is the aim. Ground and stamina are the key reads.
The big races at Aintree
Aintree's showpiece is the Grand National every April, with a full Overlay guide.
Where we add the edge
The Overlay rates every runner on how often its connections actually win versus what the price expects, then surfaces the horses we make bigger than the market. We are a data-driven analysis tool, not a tipping service: every call is a suggestion for you to judge, settled honestly at Betfair SP, win or lose.
On every Aintree card, our read on each runner, the going, the draw and prices appear on the dashboard with the plain-English reason behind each one.
See today's cards & our read →