Simon Holt previews the pick of Saturday's racing with a selection at Kempton plus one in the Betfred Midlands Grand National.
The Betfred Midlands Grand National at Uttoxeter on Saturday is bound to provide its usual attritional test on ground described as heavy and WESTERN CLIMATE looked to be crying out for such a task when winning at Exeter in January.
Conditions on Haldon Hill that day were extreme and, after getting some way behind, the nine-year-old completely out-stayed his rivals in the home straight and was the only horse to gallop all the way to the line over the three mile trip.
With an extra ten furlongs to cover here, it is certainly a guess that Western Climate will stay this far but he also looked in need of further on a subsequent appearance at Warwick (again 3m) where, raised in class, he plugged on into fourth behind Ms Parfois, Duel At Dawn and Big River, horses who have all enjoyed good seasons.
Less exposed than many in this field, the booking of James Bowen is certainly a big plus.
Likely favourite is West Of The Edge who ran a career-best when chasing home Baywing in the four-mile Eider Chase at Newcastle last time for which he has gone up an extra 3lb in the ratings.
Trainer Richard Newland is very good at revitalising chasers and here is a case in point as the 10-year-old would not have been nearly good enough for a race like this in the past.
Newland is also represented by out-and-out stayer Bob Ford, the mount of Sean Bowen, who was travelling well when falling four out in the Welsh Grand National Trial at Chepstow in early December, but hasn't been seen since. The veteran has two ways of running but, when on song, is suited by this sort of test.
A big fancy would have been Milansbar, runner-up behind Firebird Flyer in this race off a 3lb higher mark in 2016, but for a disappointing run in the Eider.
Earlier, Neil King's gelding had been woken up by the fitting of blinkers when running away with the Betfred Classic Chase at Warwick but changes of headgear often work only once with these old chasers.
Welsh Grand National runner-up Alfie Spinner, one of three runners for Kerry Lee (the other two being Krackatoa King and Russe Blanc), has been superbly brought back to life and would have an excellent chance if repeating his Chepstow effort.
However, he has twice been well beaten in this race including 12 months ago when also in decent form beforehand.
At Kempton, ZUBAYR can benefit from a step up in trip in the Matchbook Racing Is Commission Free Silver Plate Handicap Hurdle over two miles and five furlongs.
The Paul Nicholls-trained gelding seems best at this time of the year and, 11 months ago, was narrowly beaten by Chesterfield in the Scottish Champion Hurdle (2m) at Ayr, and the same horse beat him again in a jumpers bumper on this course 12 days ago.
Successful in a maiden on the Flat at Kempton last May, Zubayr is down 7lb from his career high-mark and young Lorcan Williams takes off an additional 7lb. At his best, the six-year-old is quite a useful performer and, given his apparent liking for the course (he won here on his English debut in 2016), there are a few things in his favour here with the additional possibility, if the former champion trainer is right, of improvement for some extra ground.
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