Lodge looks Classic cracker
Grand National credentials are often on show in this three-mile-five-furlong marathon and Howard Johnson’s northern raider could emerge as a live Aintree candidate by taking the £66,700 first prize.
Grattan Lodge is a maturing jumper who seems to be progressing with every run, and he has landed nine of his 16 starts, six of those victories coming over staying trips at Carlisle. The gallant grey’s last win came at the Cumbrian track when he rallied gamely to see off previous winner Malek, who has since franked the form by chasing home Truckers Tavern in the Rowland Meyrick Chase at Wetherby.
A winner over a furlong and a half shorter than today’s trip, the eight-year-old will relish the extra distance and despite being burdened with the favourite’s tag, can give Johnson a memorable afternoon.
The County Durham-based trainer continues to follow the Inglis Drever route with his classy five-year-old No Refuge, who takes in the totepool Leamington Novices’ Hurdle.
Inglis Drever won at Aintree and Sandown before landing this prize on the way to a second-place finish at the Cheltenham Festival, and No Refuge has contested the first two of those races already.
Though he won at Aintree he had to give best to Ladalko by a length and a half at Sandown, where he was conceding weight and was not helped by a sketchy round of jumping.
That was still a good performance and he remains a more-than-useful staying novice. He has every chance of getting back to winning form.
Johnson could well have a treble on the card as he looks to have an outstanding chance in the concluding Weatherbys Bank Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race with Lennon.
Runner-up on his debut at Wetherby, the five-year-old got off the mark at Musselbugh in November and can rise to the occasion for this Listed event.
The exciting Strong Flow steps out for the Pertemps Handicap Hurdle Qualifier after a lay-off of more than a year following an injury suffered at Kempton on St Stephen's Day 2003. Paul Nicholls surprised no-one this week by warning that the eight-year-old would not be razor-sharp for his return to action, and it is probably asking too much of him to win as he warms up for a tilt at the Gold Cup
One who will be match-fit, though, is the Martin Pipe-trained Celtic Son, who has notched up two wins in the last seven days. Given the way he trotted up at Newbury on Wednesday, the six-year-old should have no trouble adding to his tally here.
Kempton Park stages a big race, too, in the shape of the totesport Lanzarote Hurdle, which gives Royal Hector the chance to pick up a rich prize after running up a sequence in lesser events.
The six-year-old’s improvement has been staggering since he joined champion trainer Martin Pipe and he has gone up a massive 34lb while landing five quick-fire victories in December. He defied a 17lb hike in the weights for his latest triumph at Haydock a fortnight ago, arriving at the last flight full of running before recording a narrow but convincing success that suggested there was even more to come.
There will have to be, because Royal Hector has been given another hefty kick by the handicapper. But there is no knowing just how far he can go while Pipe weaves his magic spell.
