Blaklion can confirm his place at the head of the Grand National betting with victory in tomorrow’s National Trial at Haydock (3.15). Nigel Twiston-Davies’ nine-year-old, pictured above, is at around 10-1 for the world famous steeplechase in April, and he’s bidding to go one better here having finished second behind Vieux Lion Rouge in this race 12 months ago.
Chester legend Grenville Millington has called on the people of Chester and Wrexham to come out in support of his sponsored walk to help raise vital cash for the crisis-hit Blues. On Tuesday, February 20, the 66-year-old – accompanied by Blues’ fans Ed Jones and Mike Cartwright – will embark on the 13-mile trek from The Racecourse, home of Wrexham, to the Deva Stadium, where they hope to arrive at around 7pm prior to Chester's home clash with Leyton Orient in the National League.
Amy Murphy can claim the biggest success of her burgeoning training career so far with Kalashnikov in tomorrow’s Betfair Hurdle (3.35) at Newbury. The Betfair tends to be a strongly-run affair – over a little further than two miles – and Murphy’s five-year-old, pictured above, is the sort of powerful travelling novice hurdler with a turn of foot that fits the bill to land the £88,000 prize.
Andy Morrell has been sacked as manager of Tamworth after three and a half years with the club. The former Wrexham player/manager has paid the price for a disappointing season to-date with the National League North outfit, who are seven points adrift of the play-offs and six points above the relegation zone following Saturday’s 1-1 draw with York City.
Chester’s Ormonde Stakes at the May Festival is set to be incorporated into a new £1million Stayers’ programme during the British flat racing season. The Weatherbys Hamilton Stayers’ Million is a prize of £1million that will be awarded to the connections of a horse that having won one of four recognised prep races in May - Longines Sagaro Stakes (Ascot), Boodles Diamond Ormonde Stakes (Chester), Yorkshire Cup (York) or the Matchbook Henry II Stakes (Sandown Park) – then goes on to win the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot in June, the Qatar Goodwood Cup at the Qatar Goodwood Festival in July and the Weatherbys Hamilton Lonsdale Cup at York’s Ebor Festival in August.
FINIAN’S OSCAR can set up a tilt at the Stayers’ Hurdle by winning what is set to be an emotional Cleeve Hurdle (3.35) at Cheltenham tomorrow. There won’t be a dry eye in the house at Prestbury Park if Beer Goggles were to land this prize, just days since the tragic death of his trainer Richard Woollacott aged just 40.
The Peter Marsh Handicap Chase (3.15) takes centre stage on Haydock’s Saturday card and Highland Lodge is taken to defy his veteran status for one last hurrah. Now a 12-year-old, Highland Lodge has thrived in his golden years under handler James Moffatt having joined the yard back in 2015.
There’s some good all-weather action at Lingfield on Friday and Tom Dascombe’s talented sprinter Kachy makes his debut on an artificial surface in the Betway Sprint Handicap (2.30). The same connections landed a touch last weekend at the same track when Reflektor bounced back to form to book his ticket for All-Weather Finals Day, and it’d be no surprise if that’s the plan for Kachy, last seen 129 days ago when runner-up to Waady at Leicester.
THE Classic Chase (3.35) takes centre stage at Warwick tomorrow and the one I like for this marathon event is Cogry for Nigel Twiston-Davies. This Grade Three handicap is now worth £75,000 and although the going is currently soft, this is set to turn into a real test of stamina over the 3m5f trip and this nine-year-old has been in cracking form over the past 12 months.
The rearranged Coral Welsh Grand National Handicap Chase (2.05) takes centre stage on a cracking day of action tomorrow. I’m very keen on the chances of Mysteree here for trainer Michael Scudamore, who landed his prize five years ago with Monbeg Dude, and he could take some stopping with underfoot conditions in his favour.
