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Midlands Grand National (Handicap Chase)

Ian_Davies

Ian_Davies

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May 7, 2023
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Hampshire
The weights are out for this contest which was once, at fully 4m4f, the longest race on the Calendar, being the length of a cricket wicket longer than the Grand National (then officially 4m 856yds) itself at Aintree back in the day.

However, both are reduced in distance nowadays and 35 are still in the Uttoxeter event which takes place a week on Saturday, the day after the Cheltenham Gold Cup.

I don't have a strong view at the moment, but I don't think Knockanore is unduly punished with a 10lb hike the way he won the Eider and, having seen that evident character Hasthing running, to my eye, in snatches and taking forever to get well on top at 2m4f and 2m6f at Windsor, it's interesting to see him entered over this marathon trip (he's also entered at Cheltenham next week).

Ante-post betting: https://www.oddschecker.com/horse-r.../national-hunt/midlands-grand-national/winner
 
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The card as it stands ordered by RPRs as far as they fit on my screen. On the scale, 150 would win a good Class 2 Saturday handicap so it does look very competitive. I've suspected all season that Major Dundee was being either for this or Ayr, possibly both. But I thought something similar about something else recently (Flegmatik) and got that wrong.

Screenshot (161).png
 
Looks like a good race. Uttoxeter used to be my second home. I had a friend who was a bookies runner there and I often took my kids along. Used to stop off at The Salt Box Cafe ( now gone). Then the quality of the racing dropped but the price of admission shot up. And everybody seemed to be drunk. Oh for the days when Stan Clarke used to welcome us. They used to have a parade of stallions. I met Silver Patriarch, Karinga Bay ( he slobbered on my wax jacket andI still have it) and Terimon ( whose daughter, Little Glenshee used to race at Kelso). I nearly fell over Anne, Duchess of Westminster once ( like the Queen she was tiny). Have a much better day out at Kelso at a fraction of the price these days, and my dog is made welcome, too. They were talking about A Work in Progress on one of the Cheltenham previews; is he still entered there, too? The best thing about the course is that the trains literally stop right next to the track. I would like to go again.
 
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