HIGHLAND FLING
VETERAN Highland Lodge is aiming to roll back the years in tomorrow’s Becher Chase at Aintree.
The 12-year-old won the race in 2015, was second in 2016 and third last year.
But despite his advancing years, his Cartmel-based trainer Jimmy Moffatt believes he is as good as ever.
Moffatt said: “Highland Lodge has had a good summer and is very, very well in himself.
“We have aimed him at the Becher Chase for the last three years and he has always performed very well.
“It does not seem like age is catching up with him because his work has been very good, particularly over the last three weeks.
“The race seems to suit him above all others and he does run very well fresh. We have geared the last four or five months around this one day.”
Moffatt will also saddle new recruit Just A Par, who has raced three times over the Grand National fences, with his best effort coming when
14th behind One For Arthur in the 2017 Randox Health Grand National.
Moffatt added: “We have prepared Just A Par in the same way we have prepared Highland Lodge.
“Although they have been working separately, they have been doing similar work and my thinking was that if we can get one horse ready for it, there is no reason why we couldn’t get another one ready.
“If I ran Just A Par in a
0-150 chase off of his mark of
146, I am not sure he will have the legs of those horses.
“But I do believe that the Grand National fences pose a different angle for all horses.
“Highland Lodge is a case in point as he struggles in regulation chases but over the Grand National fences he seems to be a different horse.
“I am hoping Just A Par will be similar.”
Blaklion goes for back-toback victories in the £150,000 race after a flawless round of jumping to win it last year.
His trainer Nigel TwistonDavies also saddles Scottish Grand National second Ballyoptic.
The trainer, who won the Betfair Chase with Bristol De Mai, is chasing an unprecedented seventh victory in the three-and-aquarter mile race.