Maddison set on Wetherby repeat

A repeat bid in the Rowland Meyrick Chase at Wetherby is on the cards for Lothian Falcon as he continues to recover from a minor setback.

Trained by permit holder Peter Maddison in Skewsby, North Yorkshire, the nine-year-old beat Leading Man in the valuable handicap on Boxing Day but would need to defy a much higher mark this year.

Maddison had aimed his stable star at the Scottish Grand National in the spring but re-routed his charge to the Bet365 Gold Cup where he finished a close-up fifth.

“He had a setback in the summer and he’s taken time to come to himself but he’s getting there now,” said Maddison.

“I was thinking of going for a Pertemps qualifier at Cheltenham on December 13 but I think I’ll probably miss that now – hopefully he’ll be ready for the Roland Meyrick again.

“He probably hasn’t missed anything this season though as he has to have good ground so I’m not worried as he’s a spring horse.

“He’s a stone higher in the weights this year but I think it will be a much better race as the prize money has been given a good boost.

“It’s hard to attract some of the better horses at that time of year because there are plenty of three-mile chases about that are all good races.

“Our lad wasn’t beaten far at Sandown. I thought he’d win it going down the back but he just flattened out. But he was like a bull in a china shop after the race and he wasn’t a happy horse for some reason.

“That race will be on our mind again, as will the William Hill Trophy at Cheltenham and he’ll even have an entry in the Grand National, even though I’m not a fan of the race – I’d change my mind if he won it though!”