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Midlands Grand National (Handicap Chase)

Ian_Davies

Ian_Davies

Apprentice
Joined
May 7, 2023
Messages
1,553
Location
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.

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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.
 
An awful record in this race. Only time I backed the winner, was when Jessie Harrington sent over Miss Orchestra in the early 90s.
Feel free to ignore anything from me. That's if I even put one up.
 
I remember being there one year and seeing this rather sad creature that was being walked around in the grass; aha, I thought, that isn’t the soundest of beasts. Of course, it won easily.
 
It is a poor race from ORs but looks good on paper and anyone of about 10 could win it.
Knockabout does look good but 6 /1 might mean I will look elsewhere.
I took 25/1 where it all began and hope he puts in one of his better days.
Mind you I don't know about 4m 2f.
 
As I mentioned to you before, mate, that Haydock race I reckon was a good, good race and although I hadn't been entirely convinced she's an out-and-out stayer, she did some sterling work at the death there.

It's no secret that I've been sweet on this girl since her very first chase but, bloody hell, I've been wondering if she'll make a fool of me: as if I needed any help.
 
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Outsider said:
It is a poor race from ORs but looks good on paper and anyone of about 10 could win it.
Knockabout does look good but 6 /1 might mean I will look elsewhere.
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If I could have got 6/1 about Kargese or any other recent short-priced winner of a good handicap that I fancied but let go because of the odds I'd been very happy.
 
Desert Orchid said:
If I could have got 6/1 about Kargese or any other recent short-priced winner of a good handicap that I fancied but let go because of the odds I'd been very happy.
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I know what you mean. My mum had a rare flutter today, and landed two winners in her win patent, Kargese and Jasmin, the Munir horse.

She also actually wrote Dinoblue on the slip, then crossed it out because she thought 11/10 was too short.

In hindsight she would have won nearly four times the amount on her patent. She still made a tidy profit, but anyway.

I sort of see where Outsider is coming from with his anyone of ten could win it comment.

I was considering the Gary Moore horse at the very bottom. It might be hopelessly outclassed though.
 
I couldn't for the life of me, understand how they ran Dom Of Mary at Chelt over 3m2f when he's just a stay-forever type and would have run here with a very nice weight. Really fancied him for this. Won the Sussex Nash last year and second in the same race this year to Invincible Nao. The latter has been transformed by marathon trips, winning his last two over 3m5f. He was getting 5Lbs form Dom Of Mary in that last race, which is good staying form alright and he could well find more even improvement over this 4m2f. Very few truly stay that trip and he does look the part.

It's not the done thing but I'll confess that I have great regard for jockey Caoilin Quinn who'll ride tomorrow. He was my 'National King' last term, giving me the winner of three nationals. Talismanic, in a way.

Of course I've already backed the Apple but I'll have a second go on Invincible Nao. ew at 16's Ew PP 5 places
 
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I like the look of Fortunesefortunata in this, my only reservation is the ground. He looks very unexposed over fences and I think he has lots left in the tank, especially now he's running over proper staying trips.

The horse he beat LTO was 3rd in the NH chase this week, and I'm hoping the further this one goes, the better he'll get. Some rain would be nice but he did win on G/S on his debut.
 
yorick said:
I couldn't for the life of me, understand how they ran Dom Of Mary at Chelt over 3m2f when he's just a stay-forever type and would have run here with a very nice weight. Really fancied him for this. Won the Sussex Nash last year and second in the same race this year to Invincible Nao. The latter has been transformed by marathon trips, winning his last two over 3m5f. He was getting 5Lbs form Dom Of Mary in that last race, which is good staying form alright and he could well find more even improvement over this 4m2f. Very few truly stay that trip and he does look the part.

It's not the done thing but I'll confess that I have great regard for jockey Caoilin Quinn who'll ride tomorrow. He was my 'National King' last term, giving me the winner of three nationals. Talismanic, in a way.

Of course I've already backed the Apple but I'll have a second go on Invincible Nao. ew at 16's Ew PP 5 places
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I still remember Nassalams 34 length romp in the Welsh Grand National. A shame that horse never returned in the same form afterwards. Good luck with Invincible. I may join in.
 
Mind you, he's certainly earned his corn over the course of his career, nigh on 200k. As far as Apple Away goes, she owes me some reward, surely, for my faith in her but it's getting near closing time, isn't it?

Do you know what, TFT? It's stupid, I know, but there's one going in this and his name has been just been ringing round my head for about the last week; it just trips off my tongue, 'Fortunedefortunata'. I've thought of it so many times - 'Fortunedefortunata'. I think dementia beckons.

Now, you're my witness: if that horse should win tomorrow, unbacked...The only time this has ever happened to me before was decades ago when I was working on a building site in Peckham. It was payday, we hadn't been paid yet, I was skint. It was the day of the Oaks and this bloody name kept ringing around my head: 'Juliette Marny, Juliette Marny'. I was running around frantically, looking for a sub so I could back her but everyone else was skint, too. Potless. Well, needless to say, she won with Piggot up. Of course she did. 12/1, I think she was. Oh, happy days. Good bye Baby Baby Goodbye.

I thought I'd share that misty image from the blue remembered hills of my past. Sounds like Del Boy's about to appear, doesn't it.

So, where were we?

Fortunedefortunata. Latin: 'Fortune favours the bold'. Or as Del Boy would say "He who dares, wins, Tellers". I'll risk a shekel or two.

Did I mention dementia?
 
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JP has won both races; does need to do the double with one horse?

I think he cares about his horses too much to risk it with this one who is still only seven. Synchronised was 6lbs well in in 2012 after winning the Gold Cup but was killed in it. Will he want to risk a repeat?
 
I never trust a going report from any clerk of the course, and I've been waiting to see a stick reading before getting involved in this race as Uttoxeter is often more testing than officially described.

Unless it now unexpectedly rains heavily, I don't think Mr Vango is going to get the ground as deep as he would like it. I'm never a big fan of Apples Away at shortish odds, as I think she's just been a bit too in and out over the years, and I actually think that Knockanore, the runaway Eider winner, has conditions in his favour again and has every chance of following up here, despite the hike in the weights.
 
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