Minister bids for Eider honours

Richard Ford will have more than one reason to celebrate should Chabrimal Minster finally land Saturday’s totesport Eider at the third attempt.

The Cheshire trainer has a tidy long-term bet riding on the Newcastle marathon, in which he has not been disgraced in the last two seasons.

Chabrimal Minster has won the Cartmel Grand Veterans Chase two years in a row but is lightly-raced despite his 12 years of age and has not been seen since falling when still in contention in the English Summer National last June.

“There has been nothing whatsoever wrong with him – he has been trained specifically for this race and it is his Gold Cup,” explained Tarporley-based Ford.

“He ran a blinder last year until he unseated Brian Hughes and was a creditable third the year before.

“The last two renewals have looked far stronger than this, the only worry is that often an improving younger horse can crop up, whereas we are going for it off a career-high handicap mark and I don’t think we were well treated by the handicapper for winning the race at Cartmel.

“He is training particularly well this year and I am certainly hoping Graham Lee can continue his good record with him, because a long time ago I backed him at 50-1 to win an Eider. That was even before he had jumped a fence in public!”

Grand National winner Comply Or Die took the Eider a year ago and there are just 12 rivals in Chabrimal Minster’s path.

Sharing top-weight of 11st 12lb are Nicky Richards’ Harmony Brig and the Keith Reveley-trained Jass.