BACK TO BASICS FOR DALY
HENRY DALY is hoping for better luck than at Newcastle with Back To The Thatch as he tackles the Betfred Midlands Grand National at Uttoxeter today. The Ludlow trainer was just thinking how well Back To The Thatch was going in the Eider Chase when the six-year-old crashed out at the 16th fence as Baywing took the spoils on the heavy ground. Conditions are certain to be testing at the Staffordshire track and that should prove no problem to Back To The Thatch as he had taken a handicap chase over almost three miles on a tough surface at Chepstow on his previous start. ‘He’s been grand. Obviously we’ve schooled him a few times since,’ said Daly. ‘It’s funny how it goes. Literally the thought had just crossed my mind, when we were at Newcastle, that we were going quite well and then ‘bang’ - that was the end of that. We’ll have another go.’ Daly has a useful second string to his bow in The Artful Cobbler, who runs off bottom weight, despite having chalked up a hat-trick this winter at Ludlow, Warwick and Lingfield. ‘He goes in the ground and he’s got a lovely, light weight,’ he said.
WE SHOULD always drink and gamble responsibly but there are good reasons this afternoon to GET ON THE YAGER (Uttoxeter, nap, 3.35).
The Midlands Grand National is a perfect antidote to a post-Cheltenham hangover, after a week of big fields at the Festival and Get On The Yager holds compelling credentials, especially with the way trainer Dan Skelton has shrewdly managed his campaign.
It is fair to say the eight-yearold has been a slow learner over fences, but he is certainly getting his act together now and it is worth recalling this is a horse that beat the talented Willoughby Court over hurdles as a youngster. Personally, I would not read too much into his reverse at Southwell last time out as the trip was nowhere near far enough for a horse with deep reserves of stamina and he was beaten by a talented mare in Two Swallows.
Get On The Yager’s previous effort in the prestigious Rowland Meyrick Handicap at Wetherby over Christmas showcased his talents nicely as the sight of him grinding his way to the front suggested a horse that loves a battle.
Encouragingly, runner-up Wakanda won Doncaster’s valuable Sky Bet Handicap next time out, while fourth-home Actinpieces captured a Ludlow event in style on her next start.
The form is clearly worth following and was further endorsed when Baywing lifted the Eider Chase at Newcastle with a degree of comfort and even Dedigout and Shantou Flyer, who were both pulled up at Wetherby, have been narrowly beaten since, with the latter touched off in a hot Cheltenham handicap on Tuesday.
Get On The Yager arrives at Uttoxeter a little fresher than most and Skelton has already established a reputation for being a superb trainer to target races and who has a plan for the majority of his horses.
Hopefully, backers of the selection will be raising a glass to the Alcester maestro tonight.
The decision to swerve the Midlands National with BIG
RIVER (Uttoxeter, nb, 2.25) may bear fruit in the novices’ handicap chase as trainer Lucinda Russell looks to secure another nice staying prize.
Big River’s Kelso victory took a handsome boost when runner-up Shantou Flyer ran so well in a Cheltenham handicap this week and the eight-year-old will relish the conditions.