This week's betting guide comes a day or two earlier then usual on two counts. The first is if you followed my tip on the Premiership win treble last week you will have a few quid burning a hole in your pocket and the fantastic 3 day Aintree/Grand National meeting starts on Thursday.

The Aintree fixture seems to get bigger and better every year, and one of the reasons behind its rise in popularity is that the types of races staged across the three days have been increasingly falling into line with those that we see at Cheltenham. And that means there are more suitable targets for horses that have performed well at the festival, which has led to greater cohesion between the two meetings with more horses who raced at Prestbury Park heading to Aintree. However, Aintree's sharp, flat track with its lush racing surface and epic home straight, presents more of a speed test than Cheltenham's undulations, although the difference can be overplayed as Cheltenham also suits horses that travel, while they are both left-handed.

The Grand National will always be Aintree's trump card, but what also makes the meeting so special is the series of rematches between those horses who a matter of weeks earlier were locked in battle up the lung-bursting hill at Cheltenham. Love it or loathe it, it is hard to escape the build-up to the gruelling four-and-a-half miler or indeed the excitement associated with this unique test. Saturday's feature will draw the crowds to Liverpool from afar, with countless more sure to be glued to their television screens for the big one.

Donald McCain stables this year's ante-post favourite, Cloudy Lane, and while he has only been training for a couple of years, he is sure to know how to get the job done. For Donald is the son of Aintree legend Ginger, who prepared Red Rum and Amberleigh House to win the great race four times between them. Cloudy Lane look's well in off 10-9 but he is 5/1 (at the time of writing) with Bet 365 which in my view is too short for the National. Stable mate Idle Talk, 40/1 and the David Pipe trained Comply or Die, 10/1, who won well on his last run at Newcastle offer good value.

The National is far from the only offering on a top-class Saturday menu, however, as the John Smith's Maghull Novices' Chase and Scottish and Newcastle Pub Enterprises Aintree Hurdle both carry Grade One status. Friday's racing is also right out of the top drawer, thanks largely to the Citroen C5 Sefton Novices' Hurdle and John Smith's Melling Chase.

The second-named race in particular promises much and the 2m4f event could turn into one of the races of the season with Champion Chase runner-up Voy Por Ustedes re-opposing Master Minded on their first attempt at the trip with last year's winner Monet's Garden being laid out for the race after missing Cheltenham. Impressive Arkle Trophy winner Tidal Bay could also join the fray with trainer Howard Johnson considering his options for the seven-year-old, who is also entered in novice events over two miles and 3m1f.

On Thursday, the £160,000 totesport Bowl also features, where the star attraction will be Kauto Star.

Some trainers bypass possible engagements at Cheltenham in order to keep their horses fresh for Aintree, particularly if they are proven Aintree specialists or have shown an aversion to Cheltenham, and as the panel shows, this has been a shrewd move several times in the past.

Al Eile has won three times at the Grand National meeting, and last season John Queally's decision to swerve a possible tilt at the Champion or World Hurdle paid off as Al Eile was an impressive winner of the Aintree Hurdle.

Queally has mapped out a similar route to Aintree for the eight-year-old this season as he bypassed Cheltenham and, in light of his fine course record, Al Eile will be a tough nut to crack again in the Aintree Hurdle.

Highly rated novice hurdlers who have missed Cheltenham command respect, and top of the list must be the 148-rated Tazbar. His trainer Keith Reveley believes he will be better suited to Aintree, and the Sefton Novices' Hurdle has been on the agenda since he beat Sound Accord by 12 lengths at Haydock last month, while the form of his win at Doncaster two starts ago has been given a boost with the second, Whiteoak, winning the inaugural Grade 2 David Nicholson Mares Only Hurdle at the festival last month.

However, Elusive Dream and Souffleur have also been laid out for the Sefton, so should Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle winner Nenuphar Collognes bid for a double in that race, he may even need to eclipse his effort at Cheltenham to win what promises to be a hot race.

This weekend also features the FA Cup semi finals; first up on Saturday lunch time is Portsmouth vs. West Bromwich Albion. Pompey are even money to win with the draw priced up at 12/5 and a Baggies victory 7/2. Sunday afternoon see's Cardiff take on Barnsley with the Welsh side 11/8 to win. The Tykes to win and the draw are both 23/10. Do not forget the above prices are for the full time result. Prices to win the FA Cup outright are as follows; Portsmouth 9/10, West Brom 7/2, Cardiff 4/1 and Barnsley 6/1.

For any Town fans that think we have to win at some point and the longer we go without a win the more chance of it happening, you maybe interested in 4/1 for us to win at Saltergate on Saturday. The home side are 7/10 with the draw 13/5.

Don't forget, whatever you fancy a punt on you can find all the odds by following the link on Shrewsweb to our betting partner bet365.com.

Good Luck from Shrewsweb's man on the rail

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