Saturday preview: Ross Millar provides his race-by-race guide for Uttoxeter

Whether you had a successful or unsuccessful Cheltenham Festival, racing carries on and Uttoxeter hosts Saturday's featured meeting.

Headlined by the 4m2f Midlands Grand National, the eight-race Uttoxeter card is sure to provide some thrills and spills and Ross Millar has provided a race-by-race guide.

1.20 Uttoxeter, 2m3f Novices Hurdle

Del La Mar Rocket is the highest-rated by a good margin in the Uttoxeter opener courtesy of his wide-margin win at Ffos Las. But that win was at odds with his generally patchy profile and I wouldn’t be keen on taking him at a short price. 

Cousu Main will be looking to bounce back from a poor run at Lingfield on heavy ground and boasts winning course form, so he’s a major player. 

However, Kerry Lee has enjoyed a good season and I’ll take a chance on her well-bred newcomer New Found Fame, who is a half-brother to Arctic Skipper, who was rated as high as 150, and Castle Robin, who is currently rated 132. 

Debut winners are not often associated with the Lee yard but they’ve already had a first-time-out bumper scorer this season and look to have recruited some nice young horses for these owners.

Selection: New Found Fame

1.50 Uttoxeter, 2m7f Handicap Hurdle

Paul Nicholls endured a frustrating week at Cheltenham, but I fancy Grace A Vous Enki to get him back in the winner’s enclosure here.

A half-brother to yard stalwart Yala Enki, he arrived in the UK with an opening mark of 131 but, after a few runs in novice hurdles that includes a win last time at Hereford, he starts life off in handicaps off a mark of just 123.

The near nine-length defeat of 117-rated Late Romantic suggests this mark is more than reasonable and he can take this under the excellent and under-utilised Bryony Frost.

Selection: Grace A Vous Enki

2.25 Uttoxeter, 3m Handicap Chase

Saint Palais has enjoyed a fine season. Trainer Richard Bandey has exploited the allowance four-year olds get over fences and his early-season efforts looked to be catching up with him last time as he was well beaten at Wetherby. For that reason I’ll pass him over.

Harry Whittington has endured a tough couple of years, but there is no doubting his ability to train. Hindsight will show Young Bull had a near-impossible task on his last two starts of 2020 when trying to concede weight to the now 136-rated Demachine. 

A 14-month break followed before he returned at Newbury, where he shaped well for much of the race. His new chase mark of 128 is fair and he is equally as effective over fences as he is over hurdles. I think he’s been found a winning opportunity, provided he has come forward sufficiently from his reappearance run.

Selection: Young Bull   

3.00 Uttoxeter, 2m3f Handicap Hurdle 

This is a competitive handicap hurdle and many have an obvious chance. Beauport has enjoyed a good season but paid the price for consistency and is 6lb higher than when second last time. Boothill is held in some regard by trainer Harry Fry and will surely win a pot like this at some point.

However, preference is for the David Pipe-trained Panic Attack, who has regained her form after a wind-op in March and is capable of running well when fresh.

She didn’t seem to stay when she finished fourth in a Pertemps qualifier at Cheltenham on her last start, and she ran a fine race on her penultimate outing when second at Aintree. She’s won here before and this is her optimum distance.

Selection: Panic Attack

3.35 Uttoxeter, Midlands Grand National 4m2f

The feature race of the card. Time To Get Up will be a popular choice to notch back-to-back wins in this contest, but he is 4lb higher than last year and posted lacklustre runs at Aintree and Haydock. While he may have reasons for those defeats, I’m not keen to follow him blindly.

At a bigger price I like the chances of Momella for festival-winning trainer Harry Fry. She’s a solid and consistent mare and I’ve been waiting to see her over an extreme trip as I think it could unlock further ability. Her last run, when second to Snow Leopardess at Exeter, was excellent, as she became outpaced in the middle part of the race but finished strongly in testing conditions. 

She’s a solid jumper and that will allow her to hold a position in this marathon test. I’m confident that she will far outrun her odds.

Selection: Momella 

4.10 Uttoxeter, 1m7f Mares Handicap Hurdle

I don’t think the sharp nature of Taunton and Plumpton have seen Gaot to best effect on her last two starts and she has still run with credit. The return to a more galloping track can see her take advantage of a sliding handicap mark in this moderate contest.

Selection: Gaot 

4.45 Uttoxeter, 2m4f Handicap Chase

I took the view that the heavy ground brought about big improvement for Coupdebol when he won at Warwick last time, and the likely better ground coupled with an 8lb hike might prevent him winning here.

The Dubai Way ran well over course and distance in December behind Frenchy Du Large and Keep Rolling. He looked a non-stayer over 3m at Warwick last time and has now slipped to an attractive mark. A repeat of that December effort would surely be good enough to win this.    

Selection: The Dubai Way

5.18 Uttoxeter, 2m National Hunt Flat Race

Winning a bumper under a penalty is no easy task, so both Gaelic Park and Kracka Nut will need to be above average to win here. Henry Daly is enjoying his best season for many years and his runner, Luke The Drifter, is from a stout staying family that goes back to Grand National winner Party Politics.

He might need further in time but his half-sister Marshmallo won a bumper for these connections. 

Selection: Luke The Drifter

Recommended bets

New Found Fame
Grace A Vous Enki
Young Bull
Panic Attack
Momella
Gaot
The Dubai Way
Luke The Drafter