Tony Paley: Midlands Grand National day blog
6.15pm: Renzofan and 15244, thankyou for your kind comments about the coverage this week. Talking Horses will be back with a full service, including the competition, on Monday. The plan is certainly to have as detailed a service for Aintree as we had for Cheltenham and we hope you enjoy that as much as you did the coverage from the Cotswolds.
6pm: Russian Trigger followed up his Kent National victory with a win in the Midlands version to give conditional rider Jack Doyle the most important winner of his fledgling career. The win did not appear likely at the second-last as Flintoff was primed to give the in-form Venetia Williams yet another winner, but Doyle urged his mount home by two and three-quarter lengths with Irish raider Hold The Pin in third. "I knew that he had a live chance because all he does is gallop," said Doyle. "I got bumped jumping the first in the straight and Flintoff jumped past me. At the last Flintoff was a little bit slow but I winged it and once he got within half a length, he picked up and went again."
3pm: Harry Findlay has just been on the box live from Uttoxeter reiterating what he told Guardian readers in his column this morning - namely that a back-on-song Denman will give Kauto Star a fright in next year's Gold Cup. On a softer surface, as it was last term when Denman was the runaway winner, I think he's absolutley right. Understandably there's been a lot written about the impressive winners at the Festival but there were some of the beaten horses that caught my eye too. Willie Mullins had a superb week, as expected, and sent out three winners. Those will be well backed next time no doubt but I shall be following two of his that finished third. Firstly, Mourad was not given an especially hard ride by Ruby Walsh when third in the Triumph Hurdle and he looks a likely one for the Champion 4YO Hurdle at Punchestown next month. Secondly, I also thought The Midnight Club ran well when filling the same position in the Albert Bartlett Hurdle. He looked as if he would have appreciated softer going.
2.45pm: The outsiders have been winning so far in the televised races but the Midlands National at Uttoxeter is coming up and the Racing Post Pricewise tips, Naunton Brook and Badgerlaw, have been well supported. Our own Ron Cox has made a good case for Badgerlaw, and with the superb record of Irish trainers in this event I must say that one caught my eye too.
Ron Cox's TV racing preview
Irish trainers made their mark at Cheltenham this week, and further success can come their way in today's feature race at Uttoxeter, the £100,000 John Smith's Midlands Grand National. Badgerlaw, last year's runner-up, is set to go one better for Jessica Harrington.
Harrington, who was winning this marathon chase for the second time when Intelligent obliged in 2003, has given Badgerlaw (3.10) a canny preparation. The nine-year-old ran over hurdles on his penultimate start and will have been sharpened up by finishing fourth over an inadequate 2½ miles at Naas last month.
Badgerlaw was beaten 22 lengths by Himalayan Trail last year, but got the trip well enough - he simply paid the price for trying to match strides with a front-runner from a long way out. Flintoff is inconsistent, and never went a yard when pulled up here last year, but with the Venetia Williams stable in cracking form at Cheltenham this week he could be a factor.
Uttoxeter 2.05 Just Smudge, unsettled by an early jumping error last time, can fare better here but he is 15lb higher than for his last victory. It could pay to take a chance with Andrew Nick, from the resurgent Nigel Twiston-Davies stable. The seven-year-old looks well handicapped on his two-lengths Carlisle second behind Skippers Brig.
Uttoxeter 2.35 While his hurdles exploits have yet to match the level of his Flat form - he won the Chester Cup last season - Bulwark should be competitive off this sort of mark. He is 7lb lower than at Haydock last month where he ran well for a long way in the Pertemps Qualifier won by Synchronised.
Lingfield 3.30 Having her first race away from the Fibresand surface at Southwell, High Cross showed improved form to win a Wolverhampton handicap in convincing fashion. Though now 7lb higher, and up in class, Sir Mark Prescott's filly has to be of interest with further progress likely.
Uttoxeter 3.40 Successful twice on the Flat in France, Je Ne Sais Plus may have got in lightly off a mark of 105. She could only finish fifth at Wincanton last time, but had previously shaped well when a four-lengths second at level weights to Divali Princess, who is rated 125.
Ron Cox's tip of the day
Solent 2.20 Wetherby
The John Quinn stable has hit form this week, winning the Kim Muir at Cheltenham with Character Building and also successful with Bellaney Jewel at Hexham. That augurs well for Solent, who has not managed to add to his hurdles debut win but was not disgraced when sixth at Hereford last month. Solent stayed well on the Flat, so should appreciate this extra half-mile.
Hills has high hopes for Redwood at Kempton
Some useful three-year-olds have accepted for the inaugural Kentucky Derby Challenge at Kempton on Wednesday night and one that interests us is the Barry Hills-trained Redwood. Winner of his only start at Newmarket last autumn, the colt is regarded as one of the stable's brightest hopes this year.
John Gosden has two entries for the Kempton race, with Close Alliance favoured by our Newmarket contact. A winner at Great Leighs last year, Close Alliance looked in good shape when partnered by Frankie Dettori on Newmarket's Al Bahathri gallop earlier this week.
Stoute pair catch the eye as Flat season looms
Sir Michael Stoute has his powerful team in good shape with the return of Flat racing on turf now just a fortnight away, and a couple of three-year-olds to note are Imposing and Harbinger.
There is a good word for Appleaday (3.10) in the Midlands Grand National at Uttoxeter today, the Paul Webber team reckoning this marathon trip will bring out the best in him.
Nicky Henderson won the novice hurdle on this card last year with Punchestowns and Acordeon (4.10) is fancied to follow up. He jumped well when successful at Ludlow. Stable companion The Shoe (2.35), who may have bumped into an above-average newcomer at Kempton last time, can go well off a reasonable handicap mark.
Southern raiders can take spoils in Yorkshire
The Devon trainer Victor Dartnall makes the long trip to Wetherby with two fancied runners, Roganstown (1.50) and the newcomer Ballybriggan (5.05). Charlie Mann's Shining Gale (4.00) with cheekpieces on, can get back to winning form here.
Balnahinch (2.20), runner-up to Tullamore Dew at Fontwell last month, is strongly fancied to go one better at the Sussex track tomorrow.
