It only seems like yesterday that we were napping up winners all over the place for you at the Cheltenham Festival and we’ll be trying to do the same again for you here, as the Aintree Festival. kicks off in Liverpool on Thursday.

The jumps season may be coming to an end but there’s three quality days racing ahead up in the north-west. We’ll be picking out the trends and best odds on the feature races of the day, including of course the Grand National on Saturday.

The festival kicks off in style on Thursday afternoon in the John Smith’s Liverpool Hurdle (2.00pm). Champion long distance hurdler Big Bucks looks like he’ll go off an odds-on favourite. The Paul Nicholls trained 6yo is on a four-timer after unseating Sam Thomas in the Hennessy last November and reverting to hurdles, last time out winning the World Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival. Big on reputation he’s also big in the trends department. All five winners of this race have finished in the top two at this meeting before (won the Mildmay Novices Chase last year) and four of the five runnings were won by a horse placed in the World Hurdle. Four of the five winners also carried the maximum penalty to victory, something he’ll be bidding to do.

Of the horses in his way, course specialist Mighty Man will be likely second favourite in the race. The Henry Daly trained 9yo finished fifth in the World Hurdle after nearly two years out of the sport with injury and bids to win this race for the third time (fourth win at Aintree). Age and fitness may be against him here though, despite the trainer targeting him at this race.

A couple of dark horses further down in the betting also have course form and could spring a surprise and worth a bet each-way. Pettitfour and Faasel will open up around the 28/1 mark with totesport and have both run well here before. Pettitfour won here last year in the Sefton Novices Hurdle but has disappointed since, finishing 11th in the World Hurdle. Faasel is a very inconsistent sort but finished a career best second in this race last year and comes here potentially fresher than the majority of runners.

In the Matalan Anniversary 4yo Novices Hurdle (2.35pm) a few of the main protagonists in the Triumph Hurdle a month earlier do battle again here. Second on that day and favourite for this race Walkon looks the one to beat. There’s an argument that second favourite Starluck will relish the course and conditions but he’ll be doing well to reverse the seven length defeat to Walkon in the Triumph. Walkon finished second that day after being hampered in running but showed plenty of spirit to give backers confidence here. Hebridean bypassed Cheltenham for a crack at this and warrants respect but with seven of the last nine winners running in the Triumph he’ll have to re-write the trends on Thursday.

The totesport Bowl Chase (3.10pm) will see Denman try to go one better than his Gold Cup runners up finish a month ago. The Paul Nicholls trained 9yo faces seven of the horses he beat on Gold Cup day, with a further two of the ten horse field having also raced at the festival. The only horse in the field that bypassed the festival was The Listener who prefers softer ground and whose best days seem behind him. If you’re looking to oppose Denman, who is likely to go off an odds on favourite with the sponsor Albertas Run catches the eye at a bigger price. After winning the RSA in 2008 his form has been patchy at best, including a disappointing ninth place in the Gold Cup. However, seven of the last twelve winners finished in the first three in the King George VI Chase (he finished second behind Kauto Star) and he has course form and the ground should suit. At around 11/1 he could be worth an each-way bet.

In the John Smith’s Red Rum Handicap Chase (4.20pm), festival winner Oh Crick will be likely favourite, but Cheltenham winners don’t have the best of records in recent years with only Fota Island in 2005 doing the double in the last ten years. Looking beyond the Cheltenham form, course and distance winner Leslingtaylor looks like a contender after beating Bambi De L’Orme (previous winner of this race) at Doncaster in February. If you can get around 8/1 on the John Quinn trained 7yo it’s definitely worth an each-way punt.

Aintree Festival selections – Day 1

2.00pm – Pettitfour

2.35pm – Walkon

3.10pm – Albertas Run

3.45pm – McEvoy

4.20pm – Leslingtayor

4.55pm – Calgary Bay

5.30pm – Carrickboy

Check out totesport for all prices for the Aintree Festival.