Ground no issue to mudlark Yala

FEW things come heavier than the ground at Haydock when the mud is flying.

With the winter downpours hitting torrential levels, the Unibet Grand National Trial (3.15) is going to tax the strongest of stayers. That’s when

comes into his own and history suggests this is an ideal race for him. The trends are:

Finished first or second on the most recent start

Previously placed in the first three at Haydock

Big weights have not been a disadvantage

Yala Enki beat Blaklion by a country mile in this race two years ago when conditions were equally as desperate as they are likely to be today.

He was trained by Venetia Williams in those days and is now with Paul Nicholls, above, having made the switch rather late in life. His first run for the champion trainer came in the Ladbrokes Trophy when the ground would not have been soft enough and his third in the Welsh National – for the second successive year – was much more like it when returned to his favoured heavy going.

The weights favoured Yala Enki at Taunton last month and he made no mistake on a track probably sharper than ideal.

There are plenty of other contenders with good form at Haydock but both Lord Du Mesnil and Vintage Clouds have shot up the handicap for their recent course wins.

Yala Enki is well used to lumping hefty weights around and four of the last five winners of this prize carried more than 11st 4lbs.

Have 3pts to win at the generally-available 5-1.

HEAVY WEATHER Yala Enki will relish the taxing conditions