This coming few days are some of my absolute favourites of the sporting calendar.

You can keep the twisting majesty of the Monaco Grand Prix, the beautiful bowls of the Camp Nou and the MCG, each large enough to house the entire population of Colchester and the lustrous green glare of Wimbledon’s Centre Court – there is no better sporting backdrop than the US Masters at the Augusta National in Georgia.

Whether you like golf or not, the Masters is probably the one event which transcends fans of its own sport.

You won’t be able to escape it over the coming days, with Rory McIlroy seeking to become the first European in the history of civilisation to complete the career Grand Slam of all four majors, plus the small matter of the 111th-ranked golfer in the world – some chap named after a big cat – looking for his 15th major, or at least to make the cut.

If you get the chance, sit down and watch some of it, between Thursday lunchtime and Sunday evening.

The famous azaleas are better than ever this year with the amount of rain that has fallen already this spring and Amen Corner has to be the most gorgeous section of a course anywhere, with the tricky 11th, 12th and 13th holes, set around water, also providing some of the best action of the week. You won’t regret it, I promise.

If I were you, however, I’d also find an hour on Saturday afternoon to tune into the biggest horse racing spectacle of the year, the Grand National at Aintree.

With a vast field of runners and 30 challenging fences to jump over in a gruelling four-mile-plus race, it truly is the toughest test the sport of kings can offer.

Estimates suggest as many as one-in-three Brits will have a flutter on the big race – which should get under way around 4.15pm – on the biggest betting day of the year. Trust me, I should know, I worked in a bookies on National day while at university, it will forever be etched on my memory.

This is the one race where it’s ok to back a horse because you like the jockey’s colours, the number it’s wearing or simply because it has the same name as your favourite aunt.

It’s also socially acceptable to back more than one horse.

Want some advice from, if not a pro, a keen amateur? First, if you’re going to bet, bet each way. It means you place two bets combined, one on your pick to win, the other on it to finish in the top places at reduced odds. It means if your horse gets chinned on the line, then you’ll still end up with something.

Most bookies pay out for a top-four finish, although some offer fifth and even sixth places this year. Shop around.

With the result being something of a lottery, don’t just assume the favourite will win. Plenty of winners have come in at 20/1 and above.

My picks this year – Night in Milan (20/1), Al Co (25s) and Chance du Roy (40s), all e/w.

Most importantly, though, if you do bet, do it for fun and never bet more than you can afford to lose.

Good luck.