Grand National tips from Harrogate Advertiser horse racing expert Jeff Garlick

I Am Maximus was a convincing winner for Willie Mullins last year and he will be in the field again this weekend. He could go well again but I prefer a couple of other Irish runners, Stumptown and Vanillier - both trained by Gavin Cromwell.

In recent years, the Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase at the Cheltenham Festival has thrown up a lot of clues for picking the National winner.

Tiger Roll won at Cheltenham before his National wins in 2018 and 2019 and other winners have since run well at Aintree. In this year’s race Stumptown won with Vanillier third and I am expecting both to go close on Saturday.

Cromwell has his stable in top form and eight-year-olds have won five of the last nine Grand Nationals, so Stumptown ticks a lot of boxes.

In fact, I also fancy another Cromwell eight-year-old called Perceval Legallios to run well so he could have an unprecedented one, two, three.

The meeting kicks off on Thursday, where I fancy Grey Dawning to run well in the Aintree Bowl. His trainer wisely swerved the Cheltenham Festival with this grey son of Flemensfirth, so he should arrive here in peak form.

There is an intriguing clash between Constitution Hill and Lossiemouth in the Aintree Hurdle.

The former is on a retrieval mission after his fall in the Champion Hurdle and I prefer the proven form over 20 furlongs shown by the mare. Throw in the fact that she receives 7lb in weight then she has to be the value bet.

History has shown that experience of the National fences has proved vital in the Topham Chase on Friday, so I wouldn’t look any further than last year’s winner Arizona Cardinal.

He is only one pound higher than last year and has the services of top jockey Sean Bowen in the saddle.

Garlick’s Goodies: Aintree Thursday 2:55 – Grey Dawning; 3:30 – Lossiemouth; Friday 4:05 – Arizona Cardinal; Saturday 4:00 – 1st - Stumptown, 2nd – Vanillier, 3rd – Perceval Legallios.