Ladies Day Grand National 2022 tips and best bets at Aintree on Friday

can win the Marsh Chase (Registered As The Melling Chase) (GBB Race) (3.25pm) for a second successive year on the second day of the 2022 Randox Grand National Festival at Aintree Racecourse.

Ireland came out on top again at last month’s Cheltenham Festival, but they generally don't send the same amount of runners over to Aintree. But one of them, Fakir D’Oudairies, bypassed Cheltenham and he can land the feature on Ladies Day on Merseyside.

Joseph O'Brien's seven-year-old was second over hurdles in the Grade One as a juvenile at this meeting three years ago but has done much better over fences. He was second to Allaho in the Ryanair Chase at last year's Cheltenham Festival, but connections decided not to take him on again at Prestbury Park and wait for Aintree.

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He ran out a fine winner of the Grade One Betfair Chase at Ascot in February and he can score again.

can win the Grade Three Randox Topham Handicap Chase (GBB Race) (4.05pm) – the second race of the meeting run over the Grand National fences.

Trainers Willie Mullins, Peter Bowen, Colin Tizzard and Nicky Henderson have won 15 Topham Chase victories between them.

And it is Mullins and Henderson who may hold the key to this year’s race with the latter able to land a record seventh success with Mister Coffey.

The seven-year-old was fourth over hurdles at this meeting and although he has hasn’t won in four chase starts, he has been second in three of those. He was second to subsequent Cheltenham Festival Grade One winner L’Homme Presse in the Grade One Scilly Novices' Chase at Sandown. That was a fine effort and if he takes to the unique Aintree obstacles he can triumph.

Mullins' Royal Rendezvous shoulders top