At The Races presenter Hayley Moore gives us her five selections for a thrilling Saturday of action at Uttoxeter, live on Sky Sports Racing.
Below The Radar
bet365 “National Hunt” Novices’ Hurdle (1.15)
Paul Nicholls has recruited a placed British point to point runner and won with Below The Radar on both his starts since. He’s a son of Getaway who won on his rules debut at Chepstow when securing a comfortable bumper win which has since thrown out another winner and he then won his novice hurdle at Hereford and recorded a decent time when beating Monks Meadow who won at Ludlow in February in maiden company.
Freddie Gingell gets on board for the first time and that will help take off some of the penalty he’ll have to shoulder for his wins.
Range sets the bar as he has an official rating of 125 and struggled to make all in the River Don against similar rated rivals at Doncaster so he’ll appreciate this drop in grade.
Saint Davy
bet365 Handicap Hurdle (2.25)
Great prize money on offer and I’m hoping Saint Davy will be collecting the winner’s share. He hasn’t run on heavy ground but he has shown his ability on soft and his two runs this year brings him right in to the mix here. The Emitom form line has worked out well; since he beat him at Ludlow, Emitom has won and run well in the Pertemps final.
Seefin has winning form over course and distance and Dan Skelton is in very good form off the back of a wonderful Cheltenham Festival. Seefin has won three times from his last four starts.
Lord Snootie was unlucky not to win at Haydock last month and Cuthburt Dibble who beat him also ran well when third in the Pertemps. Lord Snootie will enjoy the testing conditions too.
Competitive race, and it should be when it’s such good prize money, but it’s Saint Davy for me.
Iron Bridge is Hayley Moore’s selection in the Midlands Grand National
Iron Bridge
bet365 Midlands Grand National Handicap Chase (3.00)
The Midlands National will be a real slog over 4m 2f in heavy ground and I feel that will be too tough for the returning Mr Incredible, although, the horse could be named after the trainer, Willie Mullins. Off the back of another great Cheltenham Festival the stables horses are flying and this horse ran a good race in the Kim Muir when he last completed having pulled up in the Grand National when his saddle slipped. He does like heavy ground though and we saw that with a good run at Warwick last year behind Iwilldoit.
Iron Bridge will be my selection, he looks tailor made for the Midlands National judged on his run behind Yeah Man in the Grand National Trial at Haydock last month and that followed on from a good run in the Welsh Grand National when a distant second to the easy winner Nassalam.
Former winner of the race Truckers Lodge has showed his well-being this season when winning at Sandown and I hope the regular runner in this race will have another good run in him.
Evies Vladimir
bet365 Novices’ Handicap Chase (3.35)
Gavin Cromwell did a remarkable piece of training when bringing back Evies Vladimir to win off a 517-day break when it was heavy ground at Clonmel back in November. He’s been kept busy ever since and has been consistent on each of his outings.
He’d been progressive throughout the season and Cromwell has done well when bringing his horses over to race in the UK making many successful journeys. It’s interesting to seeing him step back up in trip again today since he went point to pointing back in 2022.
He ran with credit from the front back in Listed company at Naas in February. Mel Rowley saw Kyntara run a huge race in the Pertemps when second to Monmiral and they’re represented with the thriving Val Dancer who has really benefited for the application of cheekpieces.
Bolsover Bill
bet365 Handicap Chase (4.10)
Harry Derham has taken over the training of Bolsover Bill and he has taken his form to a new level having won both races at Exeter. He comes in to this looking for a career best and should enjoy the conditions.
The way he ran at Exeter at the end of January showed how well he had progressed for the change of scenery and the horses he beat in second and third have both been in fine winning form this season too.
Watch Uttoxeter live on Sky Sports Racing.
