Horse racing: Marston taking moral stance

Warren Marston is out to win another big prize over fences when he rides Moral Support in the Singer & Friedlander National Trial at Uttoxeter tomorrow.

The popular freelance rider has already enjoyed high-profile successes in two key Martell Grand National trials this season, scoring on Amberleigh House in the Becher Chase at Aintree and on The Last Fling in the Tote Warwickshire Gold Cup last month.

Both horses now have the National as their main targets this season and the Charlie Mann-trained Moral Support could join them provided all goes well in tomorrow’s £70,000 race.

With the ground sure to be extremely testing, the three and a half miles will take some getting but Marston is confident that he has the right horse for the job.

‘‘I went down to school Moral Support on Thursday morning and he seemed in great shape,’’ the rider reported.

‘‘They tell me he’s been working very well and Charlie is looking forward to the horse getting his ground for the first time this season.

‘‘He is quite a careful jumper and I think he should give me a very good ride.’’

Marston stands in for Mann’s stable jockey, Noel Fehily, who is still on the sidelines after sustaining an ankle injury at Huntingdon last month.

‘‘Noel has started riding out again but he felt that three and a half miles on a horse who requires a bit of pushing was asking too much,’’ said Marston.

‘‘It’s unlucky for him but great to get another nice spare ride, like The Last Fling was.’’

A total of 17 horses were left in the race at the final declaration stage, with the most notable defection being top-weight Arctic Camper.

His trainer Venetia Williams relies instead on new top-weight Jocks Cross and said: ‘‘He won’t mind the ground at all.

‘‘It is hard to imagine it will be anything other than very testing. I know that Henry Daly fancies Edmond so you can guess how soft it must be!’’

Other interesting contenders are hat-trick-seeking Wonder Weasel, novice chaser Garruth and the Ferdy Murphy-trained trio, The Quads, Birkdale and Streamstown.