A BRADFORD trained horse will be hoping for success today as the first day of the Grand National meeting at Aintree for 2021 begins this afternoon.

Three days of racing are scheduled at Aintree, with the showpiece Grand National taking place on Saturday afternoon.

Seven races are set to take place today, beginning at 1.45pm, and a Bradford trained horse will be looking to pick up a good result later in the day.

Joke Dancer will be running in the 4.40pm Red Rum Chase for esteemed High Eldwick based trainer Sue Smith, who has been training horses at Craiglands Farms for more than 30 years.

With jockey Ryan Mania on board, the horse is an outside shot in the race, listed at 33/1 in the Racing Post. Joke Dancer won by a head on its last outing in November, and has seven wins from 21 starts, with eight places.

Mania and Mrs Smith have a famous history at Aintree; he famously rode Mrs Smith's horse Aurora's Encore to a win in the 2013 Grand National.

Also running today is Tiger Roll, which won back-to-back Grand Nationals in 2018 and 2019, but has not been entered in this year's race after being handed a hefty handicap, instead being entered in the competitive 2.50pm Betway Bowl Chase.

Today's favourites at Aintree (odds from Racing Post):

  • 1.45pm SSS Super Alloys Manifesto Novices' Chase - Fusil Raffles, Hitman, The Shunter - all 11/4
  • 2.20pm Doom Bar Anniversary 4-Y-O Juvenile Hurdle - Monmiral - 11/10, Adagio - 11/8
  • 2.50pm Betway Bowl Chase - Clan Des Obeaux - 3/1, Waiting Patiently - 7/2
  • 3.25pm Betway Aintree Hurdle - Jason the Militant - 3/1, Abracadabras - 4/1
  • 4.05pm Rose Paterson Randox Foxhunters' Open Hunters' Chase - Billaway - 11/4, Sametegal - 11/2
  • 4.40pm Red Rum Chase - Destrier - 5/1, Grey Diamond - 15/2 (Joke Dancer 33/1)
  • 5.15pm Goffs UK Nickel Coin Mares' Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race - Eileendover - 4/5, Elle Est Belle - 3/1