Midlands National Saturday Preview

The Cheltenham Blues have well and truly kicked in. Whilst we’ll have plenty of time to reflect and reminisce on a terrific four days of top class action at Prestbury Park, the racing roadshow rolls on once more into Uttoxeter for the biggest raceday of the year at the Staffordshire venue, the Midlands National.

Kicking things off in the 3:00, I’m a big fan of the Harry Fry trained BOOTHILL ridden by the excellent Sean Bowen. This physically impressive seven year old has been mixing it over both hurdles and fences this season. Boothill’s third at Ascot in October doesn’t read too badly, with recent Cheltenham Grand Annual winner Global Citizen finishing down the field and race winner Soaring Glory going on to run with plenty of respect in a hot Betfair Hurdle at Newbury off eleven stone twelve.

Boothill was seen finishing ninth in the Betfair Hurdle. I believe the minimum two miles does not play to his strengths and the step back up to two mile three will be more in his favour here. Beauport is steadily creeping up the weights after consistent efforts this season and Freedom To Dream was seen finishing fourth in the absolute carnage that was the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys Handicap Hurdle at Cheltenham yesterday. Red Risk was a thirteen length winner over course and distance last time but has an eleven pound rise to contend with as a result. He could be the main danger.

The feature Midlands National comes up at 3:35. Last years winner Time To Get Up returns once again and is four pounds higher in an attempt to go back to back. Two starts ago Time To Get Up sulked over the national fences in the Grand Sefton but was last seen finishing last of three in the mud at Haydock in behind Ben Clarke’s smart stayer The Galloping Bear in the Grand National Trial. If on song, Time To Get Up could be hard to beat once again. Another former winner Truckers Lodge has been running valiantly this season. He was last seen chasing home the Grand National bound duo of Fortescue and Fiddlerontheroof at Ascot.

Wholestone is the intriguing angle in this contest. The Simon Munir and Isaac Souede owned eleven year old was a smart staying hurdler in his pomp and rolled back the years at Haydock when forging clear to win the Grade Two Rendlesham. Subsequent Pertemps Final winner Third Wind was a distant third that day. It will be interesting to see how Wholestone takes to a big field chase having done his winning as a novice in relatively small fields.

I’m sticking with the Harry Fry stable in this with CAPTAIN DRAKE. When many will be crying wolf at the end of this race, CAPTAIN DRAKE certainly won’t be. Second in the race two years ago under Bryan Carver who retains the ride, this dour stayer stayed on well to claim the Devon National at Exeter over three mile six last time out. Volcano has come out and won at Warwick since and The Two Amigo’s has followed his effort up with a second at Taunton earlier this week. Currently 14-1 for this, I believe Captain Drake is a solid each way bet.

Moving down to a respectable supporting card at Kempton and the 2:40 is a competitive handicap hurdle over two mile five. One that I think can go well here is ART APPROVAL for the Fergal O’Brien and Connor Brace combination. This six year old gelding was seen finishing fourth in behind the smart Guard Your Dreams and Cheltenham Plate winner Coole Cody on seasonal reappearance in October before going on to win a Conditional Jockeys Handicap Hurdle at Cheltenham in November. Another solid effort at Prestbury Park in behind Dolphin Square in January followed as well as a third in an Exeter Pertemps Qualifier over three miles. A return to 2m5f should suit. Connor Brace is in excellent form at the moment, operating at a sixty four percent strike rate. I think ART APPROVAL can go well at a nice price here.

Finally, in the Handicap Chase coming up at 3:15, the Emma Lavelle trained MANOFTHEMOUNTAIN gets the nod in this competitive contest. This nine year old was a solid runner up in behind the useful Domaine De L’isle in this race last year before going on to win at Cheltenham’s April meeting over two and a half miles, beating Coole Cody on what is effectively his home track. The form of his second at Chepstow has worked out well. With Paint The Dream turning the Greatwood Gold Cup into a procession last time out. The good ground will be ideal and I’m hopeful of another strong effort in this race once again.

Thank you for reading.

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