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Saturday Aintree top racing tip: Percussion to find rhythm over National fences

This wide open handicap chase over Aintree's Grand National fences offers the biggest prize of the day, and Tipstrr racing expert Steve Jones thinks top value can be found all over the betting market.

Previous experience over Aintree's unique fences is always a big advantage and Percussion, who comes here on the back of a big run in the Grand Sefton Handicap last month, looks a very lively contender.

His first attempt over these fences on his seasonal reappearance after a break of 167 days resulted in a fine performance under those circumstances, with Percussion getting up into a never-nearer third of fourteen in the closing stages, after having become temporarily outpaced after the second-last.

His stamina kicked in on the run-in and he made up a lot of late ground, strongly suggesting that a return to a longer trip would be needed and preferred.

14:05 (Aintree) Percussion

The subsequent form of the Grand Sefton winner, Al Dancer, and the runner-up, Gesskille, adds to the stature of Percussion's performance and he will definitely benefit from today's much longer trip, being a 26-furlong winner in deep ground and also a 25-furlong winner on good ground.

Having run 8lb out of the handicap in the Grand Sefton, Percussion is very attractively treated today and is 3lb better off this time round, despite that strong run. That gives him a telling 7lb advantage over Gesskelle, which can only add to the benefit of today's significantly longer trip.

Including an impressive finale to last season, Percussion's current 1123 sequence has coincided with a new headgear combination of cheekpieces and a tongue-tie, both of which are in place again today.

A fine jumper who has never fallen or unseated in his career, and having enjoyed his first taste of these fences last month, Percussion is still progressing in this sphere as a seven-year-old and all his best chasing form has come on decent ground, so the current drying conditions go in his favour and a big run looks on the cards.

Of the others, the nine-year-old Didero Vallis knows these fences very well, and he is now 10lb lower than when he finished sixth of 21 in the same race last year.

He comes here on the back of a very encouraging seasonal debut which saw him finish third of twelve in the Haldon Handicap at Exeter a fortnight ago, so he could well be in shape to improve on last year's run.

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