Into Overdrive ruled out of Sky Bet Chase date

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Into Overdrive will miss his intended run in the Sky Bet Chase at Doncaster on Saturday after scoping dirty and now looks set to be saved for the Cheltenham Festival.

Trainer Mark Walford was primed to run in the valuable three-mile event after Into Overdrive defeated Sounds Russian in the Rowland Meyrick at Wetherby on Boxing Day.

Prior to that, the highly-progressive Court Cave gelding had chased home L’Homme Presse in the Rehearsal Chase at Newcastle.

However, hopes of a third success of the season will have to wait a while after Wendy Hamilton’s eight-year-old was found to be under the weather.

“It is disappointing, but it is nothing serious,” said Walford. “You’ve got to be at the top of your game to be running in those sort of races.

“There was just a little bit of mucus – nothing I’m overly concerned about, It is just bad timing.”

Walford added: “We will probably just wait for the Ultima at Cheltenham. There is nothing really in between.

“There is only a race at Kempton before Cheltenham that is suitable for him (Coral Trophy Handicap Chase, February 25), and I think we will probably prefer to go to Cheltenham over that.

“I’d expect we’ll have him cleared up in a week or so, but there are just not that many opportunities for him.

“It is gutting. These types of races don’t come along very often, but you get used to it when you deal with horses. You get problems and it is far from a major one, so he’ll be back and fine and there will be plenty of other nice races for him to run in.”

Clarke sets out Midlands assignment for The Galloping Bear

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Ben Clarke feels The Galloping Bear still has a big victory in him and has his eye on the Boulton Group Midlands Grand National for his mud-loving stayer.

A faller when last seen in the Welsh Grand National, the Shantou gelding is reported to be none the worse for his efforts at Chepstow and is now being prepared for a veterans’ chase at Exeter next month, which Clarke hopes will tee up a tilt at the Uttoxeter marathon later in the campaign.

The 10-year-old’s finest hour came at Haydock when landing the Grand National Trial last season – a victory that was later rescinded after suspected cross-contamination in the yard saw him test positive for a trace of a muscle treatment that contained a prohibited raceday substance.

Ben Jones riding The Galloping Bear (right) on their way to winning the racehorselotto.com Surrey National Handicap Chase during day three of The Winter Million Festival at Lingfield Park in 2022
Ben Jones riding The Galloping Bear (right) on their way to winning the racehorselotto.com Surrey National Handicap Chase during day three of The Winter Million Festival at Lingfield Park in 2022 (Steven Paston/PA)

However, that performance on Merseyside is the perfect advertisement of The Galloping Bear’s strengths and Clarke believes the stamina-sapping test of a soft-ground Uttoxeter could be just what the doctor ordered on March 18.

“He’s absolutely fine,” said the handler. “He’s going to run in a veterans’ chase at Exeter on February 12 and from there he will go to Uttoxeter for the Midlands National in mid-March.

“He just wants a bit of a war. He hasn’t quite gone up to four miles yet, but if they had a drop of rain, four-miles-two round Uttoxeter with a bit of good to soft, soft ground, you would like to think he definitely wouldn’t be too far away.

“He’s been a good horse for us and he will win another big handicap for sure.”

Russell considering Rambler’s route to Aintree

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Lucinda Russell is still to decide which route Corach Rambler will take to the Randox Grand National on April 15.

Given a peach of a ride from Derek Fox when swooping late to snatch the Ultima Handicap Chase at last year’s Cheltenham Festival, the son of Jeremy was again doing his best work late when finishing fourth in the Coral Gold Cup at Newbury in November – and Russell believes his running style makes him the perfect candidate for the Merseyside marathon she won in 2017 with One For Arthur.

The nine-year-old featured amongst the list of entries for the Paddy Power Cotswold Chase at Prestbury Park on Saturday and although still a possible for that race if the stable’s Gold Cup hope Ahoy Senor is rerouted to Newbury, the Kinross handler is tempted to wait until the weights for the Aintree showpiece are finalised before breaking cover.

Options include Haydock’s Grand National Trial on February 18 and closer to home in the bet365 Premier Chase at Kelso on March 4 – a race used in the past by the likes of Ballabriggs, Cloth Cap and Many Clouds en route to Aintree.

“Corach Rambler is in fantastic form, said Russell. “You know that Scu (Peter Scudamore) rides him all the time and he gets off and says how tired he is.

“He’s a lovely horse and he wins through his personality as much as his ability. He’s a horse that loves coming from off the pace in a big handicap as we saw in the Ultima and for that reason we’re quite keen to go to Aintree for the Grand National.

“We have to decide how we get there and we have the option of the Grand National Trial at Haydock, we have the option of the Premier Chase at Kelso.

“We were going to go to the Fleur De Lys (at Lingfield) but as soon as I saw all the inspections, I pulled the plug on that.

“I don’t want him to go up too much in the handicap as I think he’s off quite a nice weight for Aintree, so it’s just a question of how we get him there.”

Derek Fox and connections of Corach Rambler celebrate winning the Ultima Handicap Chase during day one of the Cheltenham Festival last year
Derek Fox and connections of Corach Rambler celebrate winning the Ultima Handicap Chase during day one of the Cheltenham Festival last year (Nigel French/PA)

She continued: “He’s in at Cheltenham and there’s probably a question mark on him running there. That said, if the race cut up and Ahoy Senor went to Newbury, it leaves the way open for Corach and although he’s only run there twice, he’s unbeaten round Cheltenham and we know he likes the track.

“It could be that we do Cheltenham then Kelso. I would quite like to support the Kelso race and the timing is quite nice with it being five weeks before the Grand National.”

Frost claims Warwick and Wincanton cards

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Wednesday’s meeting at Warwick and Thursday’s card at Wincanton have both been called off due to frozen tracks.

Officials at Warwick were due to inspect at noon on Tuesday ahead of the planned six-race card, but that check was brought forward after a seventh consecutive night of frost.

The track is frozen and will not recover in time for racing to go ahead.

It is a similar story at Wincanton, with their planned 4pm inspection on Wednesday brought forward more than 24 hours.

The Somerset track is frozen after temperatures dropped to minus 4C overnight.

Ffos Las staged the first turf action in six days on Monday, with 17 fixtures lost over the last week through the cold weather.

Slipway handed Edinburgh National task

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Slipway is set to head to Musselburgh for the Edinburgh National in February, where victory could signal a tilt at the Randox Grand National in April.

The eight-year-old struck a decisive verdict in the Southern National at Fontwell earlier in the season and was due to contest the Somerset National at Wincanton last week before the meeting was lost to the recent cold snap.

He will now be rerouted north of the border where he will have the chance to put his unique blend of speed and stamina to good use around the tight turns of Musselburgh.

Victory in that contest would put him on a mark that could secure one of the 40 slots in the Grand National on April 15, with Pauling admitting he would have to give him an entry if he continues on his upwards curve.

“He will go up to Musselburgh for their nearly four-mile race – the Edinburgh National,” he said.

Slipway in action at Southwell
Slipway in action at Southwell (Tim Goode/PA)

“He’s a lovely horse and he’s not slow as well – I’m determined to run him over three miles again at some point because he’s got lots of gears. He just stays really well and it just seems to fit that those races are the ones that are available for him.

“We are looking forward to getting him out again because it has been a long time between races now.

“If he won the Edinburgh National and got a mark that would get him in then I’m sure he would have an entry (for the Grand National), but everything would have to be right on the day because he’s still a young horse and Aintree is not the be all and end all this year.”

Tributes flow following death of Milton Bradley at the age of 88

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Darryll Holland has paid tribute to former trainer Milton Bradley after his death at the age of 88.

The two combined to enjoy great successes with The Tatling, a sprinter claimed for £15,000 after a Catterick victory in 2002.

From that humble triumph he developed through the ranks before winning the Group Three King George Stakes at Goodwood in 2003 with Holland in the saddle.

Subsequently second in the Nunthorpe, the horse returned the following season to land the King’s Stand at Royal Ascot and finish runner up in the Nunthorpe again and the Prix de l’Abbaye.

The Tatling claimed a final career win at the ripe age of 14, mirroring the longevity of his trainer as Bradley held a licence for over half a century and was still training in 2021 – well into his octogenarian years.

Darryll Holland and The Tatling at Royal Ascot
Darryll Holland and The Tatling at Royal Ascot (Kirsty Wigglesworth/PA)

His Gloucestershire stable operated under both codes and produced more than 1000 winners, with horses such as Brevity, Grey Dolphin, Sooty Tern and Offa’s Mead flying the flag for the yard.

“What can you say about Milton? He was a great trainer and he could revive those sprinters that weren’t enjoying it,” Holland said.

“He brought them back with a new lease of like and I am indebted to him, he and The Tatling gave me some great times.

“I won on him at Glorious Goodwood and in the King’s Stand, he also won a nice race in Scotland.

“He just turned him around, he went on for a very long time just like Milton!

“He worked with animals all his life and he obviously had a very good affinity with them, he was training, he was driving the horsebox, collecting the saddle, tacking up – he was very much hands on and a real all-rounder.

“He kept going and he kept busy and it’s a real shame, a very sad day.”

TV presenter Matt Chapman was Holland’s agent during The Tatling’s best year’s and took to Twitter to pay his tribute, saying: “Just the nicest bloke was Milton Bradley. We had lovely chats over The Tatling when @HarratonCourt
maestro Darryll Holland used to ride him and the King’s Stand success was magical. #rip you thoroughly decent guy.”

Chepstow racecourse tweeted: “The condolences of everyone at Chepstow Racecourse go to the family and friends of trainer Milton Bradley. We were pleased to honour Milton’s career with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Welsh Horseracing Awards here at Chepstow in 2019.”

Endless Escape continues winning run for Ben Clarke

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Endless Escape has earned herself a rise in class next month by bringing up a hat-trick at Ffos Las as jump racing returned on Monday following the big freeze.

A winner of both starts since joining Ben Clarke, the 5-2 shot had to concede 5lb to the 8-15 favourite Vicki Vale in the Download The Vickers.Bet App Novices’ Hurdle and it was the market principles who fought out the finish with the winner keeping on well to strike by two lengths.

She will now be stepped up in trip for a Sandown Grade Two on February 16, with her handler believing there will be plenty more improvement to be seen at two and a half miles.

“We were delighted with her,” said Clarke. “We were hoping she would run nicely today to earn herself a crack at the Sandown Grade Two (Weatherbys Cheltenham Festival Betting Guide Jane Seymour Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle) next month.

“The Skelton horse (Vicki Vale) in the race was clearly a smart horse judged on her Hereford run and we’re absolutely delighted, especially giving the runner-up 5lb as well.

“She will only ever do as much as she has to, she’s quite workmanlike. There is certainly more to come and she will be better for a step up in trip as well.”

He went on: “She has proven herself on three very different tracks the last three times and in different ground as well.

“She’s a proper staying two-miler in stiff conditions, but really she wants two and a half and I think that’ll bring out more improvement which will obviously be needed stepping up in Grade. She’s a smart mare going in the right direction.”

Hercules Morse (100-30) opened his account at the third attempt to win division one of the Best Odds Guaranteed At Vickers.Bet Everyday Maiden Hurdle with Ben Pauling tentatively highlighting Sandown’s EBF Final as an option for his strapping five-year-old.

“He’s a lovely, great big individual who will want plenty of time,” said the winning trainer.

Trainer Ben Pauling was in the winner's enclosure at Ffos Las on Monday
Trainer Ben Pauling was in the winner’s enclosure at Ffos Las on Monday (Mike Egerton/PA)

“I’m not saying he doesn’t have ability because he clearly has. He lugged slightly right there today and won despite that, but he’s a lovely horse for next year and beyond really.

“He’s a classy horse, he moves well and he’s got everything is in the right place, but he’s doing well to be doing what he’s doing at the moment considering his size.

“We might look at something like the EBF Final with him, but he’s not going to be thrown in at the real deep end anytime soon.”

Nick Schofield registered his first winner since returning from injury when partnering Jonjo O’Neill’s Regal Blue (4-1) to victory in the second division, while Dan Skelton’s Real Stone (8-1) won the Vickers.Bet Independent Family Owned Bookmaker Handicap Chase.

The most valuable race of the day went the way of Nigel Twiston-Davies’ Equinus (5-2) who built on some smart novice form to take the Vickers.Bet Handicap Hurdle when stepping up in trip on his handicap bow.

“I was very pleased with him and he’s improved with every run. He’s done it really nicely and it’s great to be back racing again,” said Twiston-Davies.

“We may try to get EBF qualified and go for the Final at Sandown, that seems the sensible thing to do if we have enough time.”

Cheltenham and Doncaster optimistic ahead of weekend fixtures

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Officials at Cheltenham and Doncaster are optimistic this weekend’s high-profile fixtures will go ahead as scheduled with temperatures across the country set to rise in the coming days.

National Hunt fans have been starved of action in the past week, with Hereford’s meeting last Monday followed by six consecutive days of no jumps racing in Britain.

Ffos Las got the show back on the road on Monday afternoon, but Tuesday’s cards at Exeter, Leicester and a rearranged fixture at Market Rasen have all been abandoned, while racing at Warwick on Wednesday is subject to an inspection at noon on Tuesday.

Beyond that, however, forecasts suggest temperatures will stay above freezing for the remainder of the week, which will undoubtedly be a big relief to the teams at Cheltenham and Doncaster in particular.

With the Grade One Clarence House Chase saved and rescheduled from last weekend’s abandoned meeting at Ascot, Cheltenham is set to play host to a bumper nine-race card that also features a recognised Gold Cup trial in the Paddy Power Cotswold Chase and the Grade Two Cleeve Hurdle.

And while parts of the Prestbury Park circuit remained frozen on Monday afternoon, clerk of the course Jon Pullin is hopeful the weather will not pose any problems.

He said: “We’re currently frozen following some frosts over the weekend, but the situation does improve, certainly from Wednesday onwards.

“We are forecast another frost this evening, getting down to minus 3C/minus 4C, but then things improve and from Wednesday daytime temperatures are due to rise to plus 6C or plus 7C.

“We could get down to around zero on Thursday and Friday night, but again temperatures are forecast to get back up to plus 6C or 7C on Saturday. If the forecast is correct, we’re hopeful that we’ll be OK.

“We’ve got nine great races, we’re delighted with the entries and obviously we’re really pleased to be able to stage the Clarence House.”

Racing at Doncaster
Racing at Doncaster (Tim Goode/PA)

Doncaster is set to stage a quality two-day fixture on Friday and Saturday, with Saturday’s fare particularly mouthwatering.

The £100,000 Sky Bet Chase is supported by a trio of Grade Two contests, with the presence of 2020 Champion Hurdle heroine Epatante in the Sky Bet Yorkshire Rose Mares’ Hurdle an added bonus.

Clerk of the course Paul Barker said: “We’re currently frozen in places and on the areas of the track that have thawed we’ve got good ground.

“It’s 6C today, so it’s a nice thawing day, and the forecast is saying tonight is probably the last chance of us getting a frost this week. Thereafter temperatures increase to 9C or possibly 10C on Wednesday and the thaw will continue through to racing.

“It was nice to see Epatante entered this morning and 22 stood their ground for the Sky Bet Chase. Over the two days we have some very competitive racing, which is great.”

Ahoy Senor team keen on Cotswold Chase run

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Ahoy Senor has been given the chance to get some more Cheltenham experience as one of 11 entries for the Paddy Power Cotswold Chase at Prestbury Park on Saturday.

Lucinda Russell’s stable star was second in his sole appearance at the track when chasing home L’Homme Presse at last year’s Festival but went on to reverse that form when scooping Grade One honours at Aintree the following month.

He was last seen fading into fifth in the King George at Kempton on Boxing Day and although the eight-year-old is joined on the list of possibles by stablemate Corach Rambler, the Kinross-based handler has reported Ahoy Senor will be her main dart at the Grade Two contest – with the Gold Cup in March still the dream.

“Ahoy Senor is in great form,” said Russell. “This is the first choice for him with second choice being the Denman Chase at Newbury. If the ground was very soft or testing we would probably wait for Newbury.

“I was really pleased with his run at Kempton and he seems to be growing up – I was very happy with him.

“We’ve been held up – the snow and ice has been quite horrible for us. So last week they had a bit of a quiet week, however we will get quite a bit of work into him this week and see how he gets on.”

She went on: “I will speak to the owners and see what they are thinking, but I think they would like to give him a bit more experience around Cheltenham which I think is a fair statement.

“The Gold Cup is still the dream and I’m really looking forward to seeing him run again. I think he’s on the up again now and we’ve always thought he was a really good horse.”

Gold Cup second favourite and Grand National hero Noble Yeats could line-up for Emmet Mullins, while Protektorat is the shortest priced British-trained candidate for the blue ribband and this has always been the plan for Dan Skelton’s Betfair Chase winner.

Harry Skelton celebrates winning the Betfair Chase with Protektorat at Haydock
Harry Skelton celebrates winning the Betfair Chase with Protektorat at Haydock (Nigel French/PA)

Nicky Henderson has won this twice in the last three years and could rely on Dusart – although the eight-year-old also has the option of Doncaster’s Sky Bet Chase, while Frodon won this contest in 2019 and could line-up having missed out on an intended target at Taunton.

Cape Gentleman is an interesting raider from Ireland while Cool Cody (Evan Williams), Sounds Russian (Ruth Jefferson), Sam Brown (Anthony Honeyball) and Happygolucky (Kim Bailey) complete the list of entries.

Windsor Avenue out to repeat Sky Bet Chase heroics

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Brian Ellison is optimistic Windsor Avenue can bounce back to form when bidding for a repeat victory in the Sky Bet Chase at Doncaster on Saturday.

The 11-year-old was a shock 40-1 winner of the Town Moor feature 12 months ago, but has been pulled up in four of his subsequent five starts.

His fourth-place finish behind the top-class L’Homme Presse in the Rehearsal Chase at Newcastle on his penultimate start is giving his trainer hope, however, while he believes he has discovered a valid reason for his latest no-show in the Rowland Meyrick at Wetherby on Boxing Day.

Ellison said: “He ran really well at Newcastle, but then he finished lame the last time he ran and we found out afterwards he was sore in his knees.

“Hopefully we’ve got him back. He’s definitely working really well and we’ve managed to not miss anything with the bad weather, which is good.

“It’s a hot race and he has been frustrating, but he is in great form and when he’s on-song we know he’s a good horse.”

Windsor Avenue was fitted with blinkers for the first time in last year’s renewal, but did not finish his next three races in the headgear and it has been left off the last twice.

Brian Ellison trains Windsor Avenue
Brian Ellison trains Windsor Avenue (Mike Egerton/PA)

“The blinkers are finished for him,” Ellison added.

“They worked at Doncaster last year, but they didn’t work after that – he didn’t want to know.

“He didn’t even want to go out on the track with them on at Aintree (in October), so we took them off and he then ran well in the Rehearsal. Hopefully we can get back to that.”

Windsor Avenue was one of 22 horses left in the Sky Bet Chase at Monday’s confirmation stage, with Mark Walford’s Into Overdrive and Jamie Snowden’s Ga Law two of the leading contenders.

Ga Law and jockey Jonathan Burke after winning the Paddy Power Gold Cup at Cheltenham
Ga Law and jockey Jonathan Burke after winning the Paddy Power Gold Cup at Cheltenham (David Davies/Jockey Club)

Into Overdrive was second in the Rehearsal before going one better in the Rowland Meyrick, while Ga Law was last seen winning the Paddy Power Gold Cup at Cheltenham in November.

The weights are headed by Nicky Henderson’s Dusart, with Cap Du Nord (Christian Williams), the prolific Tea For Free (Charlie Longsdon) and Cooper’s Cross (Stuart Coltherd) also standing their ground.

Mr Incredible and Stolen Silver are two of the more notable absentees.