I’m the UK’s best tipster – here are my day two Grand National picks | Racing | Sport

Melissa, aka The Scout, is the current Racing Post National Press Challenge champion after she led the field of 11 tipsters to the finish in 2025. The stamina-sapping competition was based on more than 9,600 selections throughout the year. A good final furlong helped her cause, but Melissa has maintained her form – and set a new record by finishing top of the standings for a fourth month on the trot before tipping this year’s Cheltenham Gold Cup winner, Gaelic Warrior.

HEART WOOD (3.30) is one to cherish in the £250,000 Grade One JCB Melling Chase on Ladies Day at Aintree, Friday afternoon.

Henry de Bromhead’s trainee scampered to a ten-length supremacy over 12-time top-flight hero Jonbon in the Ryanair Chase at Cheltenham last month.

The striking performance earned the son of Choeur Du Nord an 8lb rating upgrade, and he will be fresher than admirable Gold Cup fourth Grey Dawning, with tough-as-teak front-runner Solness the most interesting outside the top two.

SOBER GLORY’s (2.55) Supreme Novices’ Hurdle second is the best form on offer in the ThatPrizeGuy Top Novices’ Hurdle.

The market springer gave it a really good go from the front, keeping on stoutly to claim the runner-up spot under pressure from the other principals.

He holds fourth-placed Baron Noir on that form, and the other four runners have to take a big jump up to trouble the judge.

A better value pick is MIAMI MAGIC (2.20), fancied to scoop top honours in the three-mile William Hill Mildmay Novices’ Chase.

The surprise package from the Stuart Edmunds stable comes into this fresh, having missed Cheltenham, a course where he thwarted Regents Stroll when receiving 5lb over 2m 4f on New Year’s Day.

Spring heeled at the final fence, my selection was not stopping at the line, and he finished second in the 2024 Grade One Formby Novices’ Hurdle at this track, while decent terrain is ideal for a horse who has really taken to his new job.

A staying on third in the Turners at the Festival, ZEUS POWER (4.40) gets more of a stamina test in the Oddschecker Sefton Novices’ Hurdle.

Joseph O’Brien’s charge did best of the rear racers, as winner King Rasko Grey was ridden prominently and runner-up Act Of Innocence slotted in mid-pack.

Short of another gear when the main moves were made, Zeus Power made strides to pass five horses from the start of the final climb, and he is tipped to fend off a strong challenge from the home side.

Irish handlers have a couple of interesting Randox Topham Chase contenders, including Will The Wise (6lb better off with Madara), his handicap regular stablemate and last year’s eighth, The King Of Prs, plus reigning titleholder Gentleman De Mee.

But IL ATLANTIQUE (4.05), having only his second outing in a race of this type, is the class angle with his second to Heart Wood at Tramore in January looking even better now – and a mark of 153 can be used to good effect.

Still going well when coming down in the Imperial Cup at Sandown, TOP JIMMY (1.45) previously encountered the well-weighted Scorpio Rising and top-level hero No Drama This End.

My pick only has 11st 2lb to carry when several of the market leaders have lumps of weight and is one of the few with handicapping upside at each-way odds of 16-1.