The always competitive Midlands Grand National steals the show at Uttoxeter on Saturday and our expert has produced a preview of the £150,000 contest. Check this out below, alongside an exclusive promotion from William Hill, who are offering Bet £10 – Get £60 In Free Bets to new customers.
BOULTON GROUP MIDLANDS GRAND NATIONAL (3:35pm Uttoxeter, Saturday 19th March, 4m2f)
1. YALA ENKI (Paul Nicholls, Bryony Frost) 14/1
Veteran who has proven a fine horse for connections down the years, winning 13 of his 48 starts and picking up just shy of £450,000 in prize money. Sporadically raced this season but this has worked to good effect, building on a Grade 3 Cheltenham win when landing the Portman Cup at Taunton in January, his third successive victory in that event. Mark left untouched on his return to handicaps and Bryony Frost maintains the partnership, but he’s yet to win off a rating this high.
Verdict: In great form this season winning both starts but that form hasn’t really worked out and he’s probably handicapped up to his best off this mark.
2. HEWICK (Shark Hanlon, Jordan Gainford) 9/1
Spent the majority of his early career rated in the mid 90s but he has improved, as many from his yard tend to do, for racing and enjoyed a fine 4-month spell from June to October last year, winning three starts including the Durham National at Sedgefield. That victory came despite a fairly sketchy round of jumping and he has been put away since seemingly with a spring campaign in mind. Drying ground a plus and no issues when fresh but he’ll have to jump better to feature in this company.
Verdict: Kept fresh since landing the Durham National at Sedgefield in October but whilst the drying ground is a plus he’ll need to brush up on his jumping.
3. TRUCKERS LODGE (Paul Nicholls, Lorcan Williams) 8/1
Backed up a Welsh Grand National second when running out an impressive 18l winner of this race in 2020. Has seen his form fall off a cliff since, however, with subsequent form figures reading U77533. Some signs of a revival when third, albeit a distant one, back in the Welsh Grand National in December, and he did back that up in Listed company last time. Unfortunately he’s been put up 2lb for that showing, however, and drying ground wouldn’t be considered a plus.
Verdict: Took this prize in 2020 but no win from six starts since and the drying ground would be a negative.
4. WHOLESTONE (Nigel Twiston-Davies, Daryl Jacob) 10/1
Popular hurdler who defied an absence of 455 days to land the Grade 2 Rendlesham Hurdle at Haydock last month. That form received a healthy boost when the distant third, Third Wind, landed Thursday’s Pertemps Final and it’s worth noting that he has finished 1, 2, 1 in just three chase starts up to now. The most recent of those came way back in November 2019, however, and he’ll have to have been schooled exceptionally well to land a competitive handicap such as this with so little chase experience. As with others, the drying ground also won’t suit.
Verdict: Grade 2 winning hurdler last time but that came on his favoured testing ground and he is also severely lacking chase experience.
5. TIME TO GET UP (Jonjo O’Neill, Jonjo O’Neill Jr) 5/1
Lightly raced sort who once chased home Monkfish in a maiden hurdle for Joseph O’Brien early in his career. Came good at the third attempt for this yard when landing a Wincanton handicap last February and he supplemented that with a well-backed victory in this contest, coming with a late challenge to score by a length. Well held in both starts this campaign, albeit shaped better than the 33l margin of defeat suggests at Haydock last time. 2lb lower here and cheekpieces could eke out more, so a bold showing looks likely.
Verdict: Well backed and justified the support to land this contest 12 months ago, just 4lb higher here and cheekpieces are a fascinating addition.
6. ROMAIN DE SENAM (David Pipe, Fergus Gillard) 33/1
Nine-time winner for Guillaume Macaire, Paul Nicholls and Dan Skelton, running for the latter two in the silks of Chris Giles. Picked up for £45,000 by current connections at the Doncaster sales last May and makes his debut in the Judith Wilson silks this afternoon. Dropped 6lb in the weights prior to making his stable debut, which leaves him just 4lb above his winning mark, but he’s yet to win beyond 2m7f and Tom Scudamore seemingly prefers Gwencily Berbas.
Verdict: Makes his stable debut after almost a year off and he’s yet to win beyond 2m7f; easily opposed.
7. SCREAMING COLOURS (William Durkan, Conor Orr) 9/1
Enjoyed a fine 2020/21 season, running up a string of placed efforts including a fourth in this race, when beaten just 5l by Time To Get Up. Limited to just the one start so far this campaign, chasing home Braeside in the Cork National back in October. Absent since but that may have been by design as he has an excellent record fresh (form figures read 21112 on the back of 80+ day absences), but the handicapper has taken no chances pushing him up to a mark of 142, which is 7lb above his Irish mark and 9lb higher than when fourth last year.
Verdict: Credible fourth last year and goes well fresh but the handicapper has taken no chances by pushing him up to a mark of 142.
8. JERSEY BEAN (NON RUNNER)
9. HEAR NO EVIL (Noel C Kelly, Jody McGarvey) 33/1
Twice a chase winner last season, both victories coming in Britain for his Derry-based yard. Well held in two handicap hurdles earlier this campaign but improved for the return to the larger obstacles when runner-up in a veterans chase at Navan a fortnight ago. This represents a step up in class on that form, but his last British run resulted in a victory over the now 146-rated Empire Steel and on that showing a mark of 140 still underestimates him.
Verdict: Excellent second returned to fences at Navan a fortnight ago and still well treated on the pick of his British form.
10. FINAL NUDGE (Fergal O’Brien, Paddy Brennan) 14/1
Twice runner-up to Time To Get Up last season, most recently in this race when beaten just three and a half lengths. Justified 9/2F to land a veterans chase at Warwick back in November and started life as a 13yo with a respectable second in the final of the veterans’ series at Sandown in January. Returning to Uttoxeter looks an obvious plan on the back of that effort but he’s 5lb higher than when third last year, and a year older.
Verdict: Third in this last season and has run well in both starts since but he’s getting no younger and this mark looks a little high.
11. MOMELLA (Harry Fry, Sean Bowen) 16/1
Useful mare who was a Listed winner against her own sex at Exeter last season. Has run to RPRs of 137, 138 and 138 in each of her three starts this campaign, bumping into Grand National fancy Snow Leopardess when attempting to land that Exeter race for the second time. Back handicapping against the boys here for just the second time in her career, and a mark of 134 isn’t beyond her on the pick of her form, but she wouldn’t want the ground to dry out too much.
Verdict: Fascinating runner sent handicapping against the boys here but the drying ground wouldn’t be ideal.
12. CAPTAIN DRAKE (Harry Fry, Bryan Carver) 16/1
Chased home Truckers Lodge in this race in 2020 and gained a first victory since October 2020 when running out a 20/1 victor of a handicap chase at Exeter last time out. Has been shoved up 7lb for that success, however, whilst he was also beaten 22l in this race 12 months ago – albeit that came off a 6lb higher mark than the one he currently races off. Yard in form and wouldn’t be as ground dependant as some but others are still preferred.
Verdict: Second in this off 4lb higher in 2020 but well held last year and probably vulnerable in this company.
13. PADLEYOUROWNCANOE (Dan Skelton, Tristan Durrell) 14/1
No chase win since October 2019 but made a promising debut for this yard when a 40/1 third over hurdles at Haydock in December. Not at that level in two subsequent outings but they came in Grade 3s over both fences and hurdles. Well worth a try at a marathon test such as this and the drying ground suits but that long losing run tempers enthusiasm.
Verdict: Drying ground a plus and unexposed for the yard but no chase win since October 2019.
14. ACHILLE (Venetia Williams, Hugh Nugent) 14/1
Without a win since April 2019 but has run some excellent races in the interim, finishing a more than respectable fourth in the Welsh Grand National earlier this season. That appears to have left its mark since, however, with a Warwick seventh followed by a Newcastle eleventh. Blinkers now go on for the first time and talented claimer negates the fact he races from out of the weights, but he could do without it drying out too much.
Verdict: Welsh National fourth earlier this season but out of sorts since and it’s now coming up for three years since he last got his head in front.
15. YOUNG DEV (Denis Hogan, Mark McDonagh) 14/1
Provided Hugh Morgan with a famous victory at Navan last season when the jockey rode without his irons for the majority of the race. Gained his first win since when taking a handicap hurdle at Punchestown last month, yet he’s been held back at that venue since and finds himself running out of the weights switched to fences today. Top claimer enlisted here but the last time Young Dev was seen in this sphere he jumped poorly, which would be an obvious concern.
Verdict: Hurdles winner just last month but he’s out of the weights here back over fences and his jumping hasn’t been foot perfect over fences in the past.
16. DE YOUNG WARRIOR (Jeremy Scott, David Noonan) 22/1
One of the least exposed in this line-up making just his ninth start today and just his fourth over fences. Winner of his first two starts over the large obstacles, building on a 22/1 Exeter second when going in at Chepstow last month. Held at odds of 5/4F in a novices’ handicap chase at Exeter last time, but he bumped into an in-form rival that day. Cheekpieces now go on for the first time, and shapes as though a dour test will suit but this is a big ask for one so inexperienced.
Verdict: Chase form figures read 112 and cheekpieces/trip could eke out more, but this is a big ask at this stage of his career.
17. EL PASO WOOD (David Pipe, Philip Armson) 50/1
A multiple winner in France and got off the mark at the fourth attempt for these connections when blitzing his rivals at Wincanton in January, pulling clear to score by 34l. Pushed up 10lb for that, however, and he hasn’t managed to defy the rise in three subsequent starts, failing to complete at Exeter just last week. Plenty to prove on the back of that showing, particularly from out of the weights.
Verdict: Facile winner at Wincanton back in January but hasn’t matched that level since and he was pulled up at Exeter last week.
18. GWENCILY BERBAS (David Pipe, Tom Scudamore) 28/1
Ex-Irish gelding who caused something of a surprise when running out a 25/1 winner of a 3m6f handicap chase at Exeter in December. Unfortunately, he failed to complete in the veterans’ final at Sandown subsequently but appreciated the return to better ground when a 28/1 fifth in the Eider latest. Drying surface a plus on that evidence, and remains chucked in on his hurdles form (still rated 149 in that sphere) but a chase record of 2-24 suggests that winning doesn’t come easy to him, especially from 5lb out of the weights.
19. SUPREME ESCAPE (Evan Williams, Joe Anderson) 16/1
Beaten 42l and 75l in his first two starts this season but appeared revitalised for the addition of a visor when landing the North Yorkshire National at Catterick last time out. Officially went up just 3lb for that but he’s 10lb out of the handicapper here, so 13lb higher overall, and he has finished pulled up on all his last three starts on the back of victories.
Verdict: Winner in a first-time visor at Catterick last time but he seldom backs one good run up with another and he’s 10lb out of the weights.
MIDLANDS GRAND NATIONAL RACE VERDICT
Last year’s winner Time To Get Up holds obvious claims here off just a 4lb higher mark having run far better than the bare result when third in the Grand National Trial at Haydock last month. At a far bigger price, however, preference goes to HEAR NO EVIL, who was twice a winner here in Britain last year for her Derry-based yard. The latter of those two victories came in a novice chase at Ayr, where Hear No Evil saw off the now 146-rated Empire Steel, and on that running a mark of 140 doesn’t look insurmountable. Hear No Evil showed little over hurdles earlier this season, but he was much improved when a neck runner-up switched to fences at Navan a fortnight ago. Unexposed over marathon trips, and over fences compared to most of these rivals, Hear No Evil looks worth a tentative play at the forecast prices.
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