Aintree Placepot tips: Paul Kealy's perm for the £500,000 guaranteed pool on Thursday at the Grand National festival

There's uncertainty as to how much rain is going to hit Aintree, but conditions shouldn't be too bad, and that might make Banbridge the one to beat in the opener (1.45).

He swerved Cheltenham because of soft ground, but does act with cut, and his fresh legs could give him the edge over Stage Star, who got an easy time up front in the Turners, but is respected anyway.

With Saint Roi a doubtful stayer and the other pair not quite good enough, Banbridge is a starting banker for the Placepot.

Zenta's form, allied to her sex allowance, makes her the pick by a huge margin in the Juvenile Hurdle (2.20), and it's hard to see her missing the frame at least, too.

You can pick holes in all of them in the Bowl (2.55), but I'm taking on the front two with Gold Cup third Conflated, who ran well here last year after a hard race and a fall at Cheltenham, and Ahoy Senor, who has won at the last two Grand National meetings and tends to keep getting better as the season wears on.

There shouldn't be any stopping Constitution Hill in the fourth (3.30), so it's quickly on to the Foxhunters' (4.05). 

Those who doubted the stamina of Famous Clermont at Cheltenham were proved correct, but he ought to be a potent force back in trip here. 

He's first on the list and goes in with last year's winner Latenightpass and Bennys King, who has always had a touch of class and won by a wide margin when last seen.

That just leaves the Red Rum (4.40), and I'll go with the sure-jumping Douglas Talking, who seems to have improved dramatically for a wind op, and outsiders Hatcher and Mackenberg, who are both capable of running big races.

Aintree Placepot perm

1.45
1 Banbridge

2.20
11 Zenta

2.55
1 Ahoy Senor
4 Conflated

3.30
1 Constitution Hill

4.05
2 Bennys King
11 Famous Clermont
15 Latenightpass

4.40
7 Mackenberg
13 Douglas Talking
14 Hatcher

1x1x2x1x3x3=18 lines

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