Midlands National - Uttoxeter 3.35
UTTOXETER 3.35 Midlands National - Class 1 - 4 miles 2 furlongs - Soft - 20 run
After a busy 4 days, there’s no time to draw breath as we move on to Uttoxeter and The Midlands Grand National. A maximum field of 20 runners line up this year for the 4m 2f marathon contest and the current going is soft (good to soft in places) which may mean it will be less of a slog than in recent years where the going has been heavy. That said, this will still take some getting and stamina will be the key ingredient.
At the top of the market is the JP McManus-owned TIME TO GET UP and he is a relatively short-price for a race like this. He was, originally, entered in The Kim Muir this week, and the plan was for Derek O’Connor to ride, but, with no amateurs allowed at Cheltenham this week, this quickly became the new target and is ridden by the trainer’s son.
He was switched to Jonjo O’Neill at the start of this season and has only had 3 runs over fences. The last of those saw him step up to a trip beyond 3 miles for the first time and he claimed his first chasing victory in heavy ground at Wincanton. He beat a couple of today’s opponents that day and the form of the race was given a minor boost yesterday when the fourth horse home, Shantou Flyer, finished 3rd in the aforementioned Kim Muir. He has been raised 8lbs for that win, which is enough to get him in here off a nice weight, and is clearly a horse full of promise. He ticks a lot of boxes for this, if seeing out the extra mile, and I wouldn’t put anybody off a win ‘saver’ but, at the price, he’s not the sort I like to put up on this service as a main selection.
Last year’s renewal was won by TRUCKERS LODGE and he returns here, under the same claiming jockey, off a 12lbs higher mark. That, obviously, makes things much tougher this year but he did win by 18 lengths and 12lbs extra would not have stopped him that day. He finished 2nd in last season’s Welsh National and has had a similar build up to this race this year after finishing 7th in that same race in January. The ground was not as deep this year as in previous recent renewals and he is held by both CAPTAIN DRAKE and THE TWO AMIGOS on that run. He, clearly, thrives over extreme distances but faces a big task under this weight here.
Paul Nicholls has a second arrow to fire at this target in the shape of HIGHLAND HUNTER. This 8 year-old novice has only had 3 runs over fences and, indeed, only made his chase debut two months ago. He ended up on the deck that day, at Chepstow, but bounced back with victory next time at Carlisle over 3m 2f. He failed to carry a 7lb penalty to victory next time at Exeter but that did come quite soon after the Carlisle race and he didn’t have the cleanest of passages. He ran so quickly, I think, as he needed to get a 3rd run under his belt to qualify for this so it may be best not to read too much into the form of the race. Formerly with Lucinda Russell, he had some good form as a staying hurdler and seems best in deep ground. Given connections, he is respected and one for the short-list here.
After the results of their horses at Cheltenham, every Irish-trained horse running in the UK deserves utmost respect, and close attention, and the 10-year-old SCREAMING COLOURS, runner up in his last three runs including the Punchestown Grand National Trial last time to The Big Dog, is their sole representative. He is a 10 year-old but is very lightly raced having only run 10 times under rules in his life. He still looks to be progressing as a result and, whilst the aim would have originally been to run in The Irish National, this is a nice pot and they wouldn’t be taking the trouble to travel over if without a chance. He was, possibly, a shade unlucky last time and was patiently ridden and made steady headway on the final circuit before challenging at the last. He may have just got there sooner than ideal and idled but he seemed to get the 3 ½ mile trip well enough and this even longer distance should hold no fears.
David Pipe has a good record in this race and the admirable RAMSES DE TEILLEE is his entry here. He started the season with what was a career-best effort when beating Yala Enki at Cheltenham but that race may have taken more out of him than first thought as he was disappointing in his next two starts. His last run came last month in The Grand National Trial at Haydock where he finished 4th but was found to be lame after the race. Connections have aborted plans to run him in The Grand National next month, following his poor jumping display over the fences in December, and this, instead, now looks the main aim. He has the right skill-set for this race but his mark demands another career best.
THE TWO AMIGOS is a horse who certainly deserves to win a prize like this and he has been as consistent as ever this season with a couple of 2nd place finishes (including The Welsh National) and two 3rd places also from his 4 runs. The problem with such consistency is that he gets no respite from the handicapper and he remains 10lbs above his last winning-mark. He often makes a bold attempt from the front and is sure to run in a similar style here. The ground, although soft, is unlikely to be as testing as in some of his races this season and that should help him. This is the furthest he has ever been asked to go but he will give it a good go and looks a solid contender for a place although vulnerable to likely improvers for win purposes.
One of those improvers could be MIGHTY THUNDER who runs for Lucinda Russell. He is another novice and he has recent winning form over a similar marathon trip. That came last month in The Edinburgh National at Musselburgh when he won by a very comfortable 20 lengths in soft ground. This is a deeper race than that one but he clearly relished the stamina test and went through the ground with no problem at all. He is another who had an entry at Cheltenham but connections saw this is as a more suitable opportunity and, as a Grand National winning trainer, she knows the time of day. He has only run 4 times over fences, winning 3 of them, and, whilst he has gone up 10lbs for that last win, he could still be improving. His jumping has looked assured so far and, although all of his wins over fences have come on soft going, he has winning form over hurdles on nicer ground so any drying of the ground should not hinder his chances too much.
GOLAN FORTUNE is a bit of a latecomer to fences and only made his chase debut in early December when winning a small contest at Ludlow. He was then pitched into the deep end when contesting the grade 1 Novice Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day, and ran creditably to finish 4th, before finishing the last of 3 runners in a Grade 2 at Warwick. He wasn’t beaten far that day, however, and the two who beat him home both finished 2nd at this week’s Festival so the form looks strong. He, also, finished just a length behind Festival winner, Mrs Milner, over hurdles earlier this season so he has a few formlines that read well. He ran back over hurdles last month, as a prep for this, and to protect his handicap mark presumably, and he is an interesting contender. The main worry could be his stamina over this trip as, both at Kempton and Warwick, he looked to be coming towards the end of his energy reserves and he has another mile plus to travel here. He will have to be ridden more conservatively here if he is to get home.
In addition to the winner, TRUCKERS LODGE, there are two others who return from last year’s race. The first of those is CAPTAIN DRAKE who finished 2nd off what was, effectively, a 4lb lower mark when taking into account the jockey’s claim. He showed his liking for this track by winning on seasonal debut in October and, after a poor run at Cheltenham next time and a lacklustre showing in The Welsh National trial at Chepstow, he ran a very good race last time out in The Welsh National itself. He has been kept fresh for this since but the form of the yard in recent weeks is a slight worry.
The other horse returning this year is PRIME VENTURE and he is, in fact, running in the race for the third year in a row. He finished 4th two years ago but was pulled up in last year’s renewal. He finished 5th in The Welsh National, and does have the proven stamina, but his mark is 4lbs higher than last year and, whilst the trainer’s daughter claims 5lbs off, he probably is a little too high in the weights still and vulnerable to younger improvers.
A number in here have had several tough races already this season but one who definitely hasn’t is CALETT MAD who comes here after just one run. That came in The Becher Chase in December, where he unseated the jockey, and that was his first run for nearly two years. He has always looked like an out-and-out stayer and, prior to his break he finished 2nd in The Classic Chase at Warwick a few weeks after just failing to concede almost two stone to the winner in The Scottish Borders National at Kelso over 4 miles. He is a big price, given some of his past form, and, if fit enough to do himself justice, could be a contender for one of the enhanced places on offer.
Another who has had just one outing this term, after a lengthy spell off the track, is TOMMY RAPPER who lines up here for The Skelton yard. They, of course, nearly pulled off a plot at Cheltenham with last week’s winning tip, Langer Dan, and this could be another long-term plan. He returned last month with a very creditable run over hurdles at Exeter. He has some good form over hurdles but has only run 3 times over fences and never been beyond 2m 5f in those races so there is a big question mark regarding stamina.
Yet another horse who has returned this season after a long lay-off is ACHILLE. He runs for Venetia Williams who, up to and including last Saturday, had had 6 winners from just 10 runners in that week. There have been none since but she had a few horses run very well at Cheltenham this week with 3 making the frame in competitive handicaps. This horse has finished 2nd in both of his starts this season, firstly at Warwick in The Classic Chase over 3m 5f and, then, over a similar distance in The Haydock Grand National Trial last month. On both occasions he was staying on at the line which suggests this trip should be within his compass but the downside to those runs is that he has gone up a total of 8lbs in the process. He has finished either 1st or 2nd in each of his last 8 completed starts and, being owned by the lady who owned the stable’s Grand National winner, Mon Mome, he still holds an entry in next month’s Aintree showpiece. He’s unlikely to get into that race, however, and so connections will be eyeing this as compensation. Sure to run another solid race.
To complete a quartet of runners who have returned to race this season after a long lay-off we have COO STAR SIVOLA. He won The Ultima at Cheltenham 3 years ago, off a mark effectively 4lbs higher than here, and had this year’s hero, Vintage Clouds, back in 3rd and RAMSES DE TEILLEE further back down the field. He rather lost his way a little after that and was, then, pulled up when injured trying to defend his crown a year later. He has returned with 4 runs this season and, whilst he is yet to win, he has improved with each race. He looks well-handicapped on his old form but he is another over whom there are stamina doubts.
Down at the foot of the weights are a couple who could run big races at nice prices. Bottom weight, and just making the cut for the final line-up, is the 12 year-old FINAL NUDGE. This former pointer started life under rules by running in some ‘red hot’ bumpers and first came to my attention when performing well in one of the best UK NH flat races I’ve seen in recent times at Newbury 6 years ago. Since that day, he has established himself as a consistent performer and has run well in several marathon chases. He was running a big race in this contest in 2017 when falling 4 fences from home and has finished 2nd in a Badger Ales Chase and 3rd in a Welsh National. He thrives in deep ground and, having only switched to this yard this year, he made his seasonal debut last month when finishing behind TIME TO GET UP. If there is one trainer who knows how to get the best out of these veterans it is Fergal O’Brien and, with the horse stripping fitter for his last run, he may just be able to eke out some improvement. He might not want the ground to dry out too much however.
Just above FINAL NUDGE in the weights is SPRINGFIELD FOX. He won his first 2 races over fences last season and was then quietly fancied for the NH Chase at Cheltenham where he unfortunately unseated his pilot. After a pipe-opener over hurdles, he was, again, well-supported in the market for The Welsh National but ran no sort of race there and was pulled up before suffering a similar fate in the Wincanton race won by TIME TO GET UP. His stable were badly out of form at that time and he ran a much more promising race last time in The Eider at Newcastle. He sported first-time cheekpieces there and was ridden by David Bass for the first time. Both are retained here and he has been dropped 3lbs in the ratings following the race. He shaped much better that day and made a bold bid from the front, only giving way a couple of fences from home. The jockey will know the horse better now and, with confidence restored, he could run into one of the places here at nice odds.
This looks a decent renewal of this contest and it’s good to see a full complement of runners. It is very competitive but if there is one horse in here who could run away with this it is, undoubtedly, TIME TO GET UP. That said, he is yet to race over this kind of trip and he is very short in the market and, whilst I wouldn’t put people off having a win ‘saver’ if that suits, it’s not a price I’m willing to take to find out if he does stay the extra mile or so well. He’s not the only unexposed runner in the race and, at the prices, I was left with a final short-list of 4 others. The one who just misses out on final selection (although I will, personally, be having a bit of spare change on as ‘back up’) is HIGHLAND HUNTER and he would be first reserve should any of the 3 main picks not run for any reason.
This leaves me with MIGHTY THUNDER, who has already proved himself at a marathon trip and won’t mind if the ground dries out a little, SCREAMING COLOURS, who is used to more testing ground than this but should be ridden quietly and be staying on from the back, and, at a much bigger price, I’m willing to take a chance on SPRINGFIELD FOX. He shaped with much more promise last time and looks a big price with the enhanced places on offer.
Selections: Mighty Thunder / Screaming Colours / Springfield Fox (Trackers) – 3pts staked
Note: First Reserve would be Highland Hunter.