Into Overdrive team deliberating National target

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Connections of Rowland Meyrick Chase winner Into Overdrive are undecided about running in the Grand National, suggesting it is “50-50″ that he lines up at Aintree.

Into Overdrive was beaten a length by eased-down Cheltenham Gold Cup hope L’Homme Presse in the Rehearsal Chase at Newcastle in November.

Mark Walford’s improving stayer backed up that run when beating Sounds Russian by half a length in Wetherby’s Boxing Day feature, taking his tally to five wins from eight starts over fences.

Walford feels the 142-rated stayer is nearing his prime and considers him nicely handicapped should he take his chance in the Aintree spectacular.

“We are in discussions at the moment, deciding whether we might run him in the National or not,” he said.

“He is off a perfect handicap mark and a lot of previous winners were around the same mark. Emmet Mullins’ horse won it off 148 last year.

“We are certainly not decided on that by any means, but it is one of the races we are thinking about. Otherwise it might be the Ultima at Cheltenham.”

The Sky Bet Handicap Chase at Doncaster on January 28 is one option for the Wendy Hamilton-owned Into Overdrive.

Walford said: “We will look at the Sky Bet at the end of January, which is the next logical race. If we are going to go for the National, which is very much 50-50, we will not run until the weights come out.”

Into Overdrive has looked highly progressive since winning a novice handicap chase at Carlisle in March off a mark of 112.

Having gone clear four out under Jamie Hamilton in the three-mile Rowland Meyrick, he had just enough to fend off Sounds Russian.

Walford feels he still has to improve plenty to be thought of in terms of a Gold Cup contender, however.

“He is going the right way and is a very tough horse,” added the Sherriff Hutton handler. “He goes on any ground and distance is not particularly important. He can win from two and a half miles to three miles and maybe further.

“He has a lot to find to become a Gold Cup horse. There would not be many people putting Sounds Russian forward as a real Gold Cup contender and off level weights we wouldn’t be beating him.

“He needs to improve a lot. He needs to find at least 15lb to be a Gold Cup prospect.

“He is certainly in his prime. We will see how we go, but I would imagine we would be sticking to handicaps for the time being.”

The Real Whacker shocks Dipper rivals

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The Real Whacker stunned his rivals with an outsider’s victory in the Paddy Power Novices’ Chase at Cheltenham.

The seven-year-old was a 10-1 chance for the Grade Two under Sam Twiston-Davies, with Paul Nicholls’ Monmiral the most fancied of the field as the 13-8 favourite for the race better known as the Dipper.

Jumping exceptionally throughout, the Patrick Neville-trained gelding travelled strongly from the off and was not for catching when striding into an unassailable lead up the hill.

The Real Whacker came home three and a quarter lengths in front of Monmiral, with Betfair introducing him as a 25-1 chance for the Turners Novices’ Chase at the Festival and a 33-1 shot for the Brown Advisory at the March showpiece.

Neville is targeting the Festival, but will give his charge multiple options.

The trainer said: “He is a big frame and a bit babyish. We will mind him. We dropped him back (in trip), the idea being to put them under pressure, as he jumps so well.

“He will come back here for the Festival. He’ll be entered in a couple – he might even go for the Gold Cup!

“I’ve minded him as I know he is a good one. If he was in a bigger yard he would have got lost. It is brilliant.

The Real Whacker will be given multiple Festival quotes
The Real Whacker will be given multiple Festival quotes (David Davies/PA)

“Looking at Monmiral, you had to respect him as he is a Grade One winner, but this horse is progressing and is on the up. Hopefully he will be a Grade One winner soon.

“He got into a lovely rhythm. Gavin Sheehan rode him the last day and filled him with confidence. Gavin wasn’t available today, which was disappointing, as he is at Catterick.

“I’ve been looking at Sam since a young lad riding around here and he has ridden loads of winners and he knows it like the back of his hand. He was a great sub but between the two of them they are top-class men but it helps when they have a nice horse underneath them.”

Paul Nicholls still rates Monmiral highly
Paul Nicholls still rates Monmiral highly (Nigel French/PA)

Nicholls retains plenty of faith in Monmiral despite his defeat.

He said: “He’s still a bit babyish. I don’t think he did a lot wrong, but he needs to grow up a bit and he’ll be all right in time.

“Clan (Des Obeaux) was a bit like that when he was that age. It took him until six to get to that next level.

“It is bit like Bravemansgame as everyone knocked his form as a five-year-old and look at him now. Monmiral will be the same, he just needs time.”

Longsdon mulling Rossington run for Rare Edition

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Charlie Longsdon believes he will have to give Rare Edition more hurdling experience if he is to fulfil his massive potential, following an impressive success at Kempton on Boxing Day.

Under Sam Twiston-Davies, the Califet gelding stayed on strongly to take a two-mile novice event by seven lengths, completing a hat-trick under a penalty.

Now unbeaten in four races under rules, Longsdon is pondering a step into Grade Two company for the Sky Bet Supreme Trial Rossington Main Novices’ Hurdle at Haydock on January 21 for his charge.

“He’s taken the race really well,” said Longsdon. “He seems very well after the race. We haven’t done much with him since but we will gradually, quietly pick and choose where we go.

“We might look at Haydock in three weeks’ time, but only if the ground is not too soft.”

While plans are fluid, with Huntingdon’s Sidney Banks Memorial Novices’ Hurdle on February 9 also a possible landing spot, Longsdon says Rare Edition is not yet the finished article and he will need to brush up on his hurdling.

“If he doesn’t go to the Rossington Main Novices’ Hurdle, we might look at the Sidney Banks, something like that,” he added.

“We might work a lot on his jumping over the next few weeks.

“His jumping is very neat and tidy, but it is almost too careful at the moment. I want to do quite a lot of work in that area over the next few weeks.

“That is one area where he can improve and when he steps up in grade, he can’t be too careful – he has got to be a bit slicker.

“He has clearly got a motor on him and, don’t get me wrong, the jumping will come with time, but when he is running in big races, I don’t want to be losing the odd half-length like he did at Kempton.”

Fahey plotting Grand National path for The Big Dog

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The Big Dog has Aintree in his sights after a fine weight-carrying performance in the Welsh Grand National.

Peter Fahey’s nine-year-old shouldered top-weight of 12st around Chepstow, under which he finished a gallant third when ridden by Aidan Coleman.

Fahey reports the bay, who has already won the Troytown Chase and the Munster National this term, to be well following his exertions, which will pave the way to a bid for the Grand National at Aintree come April.

“He ran a great race under the weight he carried, we were thrilled with him,” he said.

“He’s come out of the race really well and we’re aiming him at the English National now.

“We think he jumped very well on the day and we’re very excited about getting him ready for Aintree.”

Fahey is yet to plot a specific route to Aintree and will decide as the season progresses if another run is due before The Big Dog heads to Liverpool.

“We’ll know nearer the time whether he’ll run before or not, we’ll see how he is over the next month or six weeks but our aim is now the National,” he said.

“I think he has the right credentials for it, we’re looking forward to it and the owners really are as well.”

Fahey also has a big spring target for the promising Visionarian, who was an impressive second to Saint Roi on day one of the Christmas Festival at Leopardstown.

The performance is the latest in the seven-year-old’s ascendant chasing career, which will now head in the direction of the Cheltenham Festival – possibly via the Dublin Racing Festival.

Fahey said: “He put up a very good performance.

“We’ll probably consider keeping him in graded company with that run, whether we go to the Dublin Racing Festival or not, but he’ll be aimed at the Arkle at Cheltenham.”