Ultragold set for Cheltenham prep on route to Randox Health Grand National at Aintree
Sunday, March 3, 2018 - Aintree specialist Ultragold is set to use the Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase at the Cheltenham Festival as the stepping-stone towards the £1-million Randox Health Grand National at Aintree.
The 2019 Randox Health Grand National, which takes place at Aintree at 5.15pm on Saturday, April 6, day three of the Randox Health Grand National Festival, is being run for the 172nd time and is the most valuable chase anywhere in the world.
The Colin Tizzard-trained Ultragold (RHGN weight 10st 3lb) has captured the two latest editions of the Randox Health Topham Handicap Chase, also staged over the Grand National fences during the Randox Health Grand National Festival but over two miles and five furlongs rather than four and a quarter miles.
Ultragold's winning odds in the Randox Health Topham Handicap Chase came to 50/1 in 2017 and 14/1 in 2018. He is a 33/1 chance for the Randox Health Grand National with Betway, official betting partner of the Randox Health Grand National Festival.
The 11-year-old continued his good record over the Grand National fences with a staying-on third behind to Walk In The Mill (Robert Walford, 10st, 25/1 with Betway) in the G3 Becher Handicap Chase over three and a quarter miles at Aintree in December. He was last seen out when fifth in the G3 Classic Handicap Chase (3m 5f) at Warwick on January 12.
The Glenfarclas Cross Country Chase, staged over three and three quarter miles on Wednesday, March 13, can be a good pointer to the Randox Health Grand National, with Tiger Roll (2018) and Silver Birch (2007) having used the race as a stepping-stone to Aintree glory in recent years.
Tizzard, who trains on the Dorset/Somerset border, said: "Ultragold is in good form. We have had a brainwave with him that we are going to run in the Glenfarclas Cross Country.
"It seemed a good prep race for Tiger Roll last year before the Grand National and that is our thinking with him.
"We have run him at Cheltenham for the last two or three years and it has always been a good prep for him before Aintree.
"He is in the Ultima (Handicap Chase, 3m 1f, Tuesday, March 12, at Cheltenham) but the Cross Country Chase is going to be the plan as I think he has got a better chance of winning that race.
"We are taking Ultragold up to Cheltenham to school over the Cross Country fences before The Festival, then he will head to the Grand National.
"If he gets into the Grand National with the weights, then that is where he will run.
"He has been superb over the fences with two victories in the Topham and we think he deserves a crack at the big one - he is so much better over the Grand National fences and they just seem to bring him alive.
"We tried him over three miles and six furlongs at Warwick last time out and he stayed on well, so there is no issue with his stamina - it would be special to see him line up in the Grand National."
Ultragold is owned by Brocade Racing, John Romans and Terry Warner.
Ultragold winning the 2017 Randox Health Topham Handicap Chase
Betway's 11/1 favourite Tiger Roll (Gordon Elliott IRE, 11st 1lb), who is aiming to become the first multiple winner since Red Rum, headlined 100 remaining entries following the latest scratchings' deadline on February 26.
A maximum of 40 runners can line up for the 2019 Randox Health Grand National, with the next scratchings' stage on Tuesday, March 19.
The 2019 Randox Health Grand National Festival at Aintree runs from Thursday, April 4 to Saturday, April 6.
Randox Health Grand National - Betway odds:
11/1 Tiger Roll
14/1 Rathvinden
20/1 Elegant Escape
25/1 Abolitionist, Anibale Fly, General Principle, Give Me A Copper, Mall Dini, Pleasant Company, Rock The Kasbah, Step Back, Up For Review, Vintage Clouds, Walk In The Mill
33/1 Blaklion, Bristol De Mai, Captain Redbeard, Dounikos, Lake View Lad, Minella Rocco, Ms Parfois, One For Arthur, Ramses De Teillee, Royal Vacation, Total Recall, Traffic Fluide, Ultragold, Valtor
40/1 bar
Each-Way: 1/4 odds, 1-2-3-4
Randox Health Grand National
Grade 3 handicap chase, £1 million total prize fund. Aintree, 5.15pm Saturday, April 6, 2019. 4m 2f 74y over the Grand National fences. For seven-year-olds and upwards who, up to and including March 19 have started in a steeple chase during the current season and been placed first, second, third or fourth in a chase with an official distance description of' two miles seven and a half furlongs' or more at any time during the horse's career, Horses must also be allotted a rating of 125 or more by the BHA Head of Handicapping following a review of the horses entered and after taking account of races run up to and including February 10. Horses who are not qualified for a rating in Great Britain or Ireland at closing may also be entered. Such horses may be eligible for a weight providing the Handicapper is satisfied that the horse's racecourse performances up to and including February 10 would merit a minimum rating of 125. To qualify, horses must have run at least three times in chases run under the Rules of Racing of the same Recognised Racing Authority up to and including February 10. At the Handicapper's discretion, such horses may be allocated a rating. The decision of the BHA Head of Handicapping shall be final. Entries closes January 29, entries revealed January 30 (112 entries - 2 not qualified), weights revealed February 12, first scratchings deadline February 26 (100 remain), second scratchings deadline March 19, five-day confirmations April 1, final declarations 10am April 4. Maximum field of 40 plus four reserves.
Horse Age Wgt Rtg Owner Trainer
1) BRISTOL DE MAI (FR) 8 11-10 168 Simon Munir & Isaac Souede Nigel Twiston-Davies
2) ANIBALE FLY (FR) 9 11-06 164 J P McManus Tony Martin IRE
3) ALPHA DES OBEAUX (FR) 9 11-04 162 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott IRE
4) ELEGANT ESCAPE (IRE) 7 11-04 162 John Romans Colin Tizzard
5) THE STORYTELLER (IRE) 8 11-03 161 Pat Sloan Gordon Elliott IRE
6) VALTOR (FR) 10 11-02 160 Simon Munir & Isaac Souede Nicky Henderson
7) EDWULF 10 11-01 159 J P McManus Joseph O'Brien IRE
8) TIGER ROLL (IRE) 9 11-01 159 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott IRE
9) OUTLANDER (IRE) 11 11-00 158 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott IRE
10) DON POLI (IRE) 10 10-13 157 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott IRE
11) SUB LIEUTENANT (IRE) 10 10-13 157 Gigginstown House Stud Henry de Bromhead IRE
12) GO CONQUER (IRE) 10 10-13 157 Paul & Clare Rooney Nigel Twiston-Davies
13) MALA BEACH (IRE) 11 10-12 156 Chris Jones Gordon Elliott IRE
14) YALA ENKI (FR) 9 10-12 156 Hills of Ledbury (Aga) Venetia Williams
15) BLAKLION 10 10-12 156 Darren & Annaley Yates Philip Kirby
16) MINELLA ROCCO (IRE) 9 10-11 155 J P McManus Jonjo O'Neill
17) LAKE VIEW LAD (IRE) 9 10-11 155 Trevor Hemmings Nick Alexander
18) BLACK CORTON (FR) 8 10-11 155 The Brooks, Stewart Families & Jeremy Kyle Paul Nicholls
19) PLEASANT COMPANY (IRE) 11 10-11 155 Malcolm Denmark Willie Mullins IRE
20) BALLYOPTIC (IRE) 9 10-11 155 Mills & Mason Partnership Nigel Twiston-Davies
21) AMERICAN (FR) 9 10-10 154 The Jago Family Partnership Harry Fry
22) DOUNIKOS (FR) 8 10-10 154 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott IRE
23) RATHVINDEN (IRE) 11 10-10 154 Ronnie Bartlett Willie Mullins IRE
24) TRAFFIC FLUIDE (FR) 9 10-10 154 Galloping On The South Downs Partnership Gary Moore
25) ONE FOR ARTHUR (IRE) 10 10-10 154 Two Golf Widows Lucinda Russell
26) SHATTERED LOVE (IRE) 8 10-10 154 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott IRE
27) SIZING CODELCO (IRE) 10 10-10 154 Ann & Alan Potts Limited Colin Tizzard
28) TOTAL RECALL (IRE) 10 10-10 154 Slaneyville Syndicate Willie Mullins IRE
29) ROCK THE KASBAH (IRE) 9 10-09 153 Diana Whateley Philip Hobbs
30) WARRIORS TALE 10 10-09 153 Trevor Hemmings Paul Nicholls
31) REGAL ENCORE (IRE) 11 10-08 152 J P McManus Anthony Honeyball
32) ROYAL VACATION (IRE) 9 10-08 152 Jean Bishop Colin Tizzard
33) MAGIC OF LIGHT (IRE) 8 10-07 151 Ann & Alan Potts Limited Jessica Harrington IRE
34) A TOI PHIL (FR) 9 10-07 151 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott IRE
35) MASTER DEE (IRE) 10 10-07 151 Paul & Clare Rooney Fergal O'Brien
36) JURY DUTY (IRE) 8 10-07 151 Sideways Syndicate Gordon Elliott IRE
37) THE LAST SAMURI (IRE) 11 10-06 150 Paul & Clare Rooney Harry Fry
38) NOBLE ENDEAVOR (IRE) 10 10-06 150 Chris Jones Gordon Elliott IRE
39) SANDYMOUNT DUKE (IRE) 10 10-06 150 Ronnie Wood Jessica Harrington IRE
40) MONBEG NOTORIOUS (IRE) 8 10-06 150 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott IRE
41) RAMSES DE TEILLEE (FR) 7 10-05 149 John White & Anne Underhill David Pipe
42) TEA FOR TWO 10 10-05 149 Jane Williams & Len Jakeman Jane Williams
43) MALL DINI (IRE) 9 10-04 148 Philip Reynolds Patrick Kelly IRE
44) DAKLONDIKE (IRE) 7 10-04 148 Prof Caroline Tisdall David Pipe
45) STEP BACK (IRE) 9 10-03 147 Cracker and Smodge Partnership Mark Bradstock
46) ULTRAGOLD (FR) 11 10-03 147 Brocade Racing John Romans Terry Warner Colin Tizzard
47) MS PARFOIS (IRE) 8 10-02 146 Martyn Chapman Anthony Honeyball
48) SOME NECK (FR) 8 10-02 146 Susannah Ricci Willie Mullins IRE
49) PAIROFBROWNEYES (IRE) 10 10-02 146 Fibbage Syndicate Willie Mullins IRE
50) BLOW BY BLOW (IRE) 8 10-02 146 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott IRE
51) SINGLEFARMPAYMENT 9 10-02 146 Neal Griffith & Heather Haddock Tom George
52) VALSEUR LIDO (FR) 10 10-02 146 Gigginstown House Stud Henry de Bromhead IRE
53) UP FOR REVIEW (IRE) 10 10-02 146 Andrea & Graham Wylie Willie Mullins IRE
54) VIEUX LION ROUGE (FR) 10 10-02 146 Prof Caroline Tisdall & John Gent David Pipe
55) ABOLITIONIST (IRE) 11 10-01 145 Mark Albon, John Provan & Chris Stedman Dr Richard Newland
56) GIVE ME A COPPER (IRE) 9 10-01 145 Done, Ferguson, Kyle, Mason & Wood Paul Nicholls
57) LIVELOVELAUGH (IRE) 9 10-00 144 Susannah Ricci Willie Mullins IRE
58) FOLSOM BLUE (IRE) 12 10-00 144 Core Partnership Gordon Elliott IRE
59) WILLIE BOY (IRE) 8 10-00 144 Kate & Andrew Brooks Charlie Longsdon
60) GENERAL PRINCIPLE (IRE) 10 10-00 144 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott IRE
61) VINTAGE CLOUDS (IRE) 9 10-00 144 Trevor Hemmings Sue Smith
62) WALK IN THE MILL (FR) 9 10-00 144 Baroness Harding Robert Walford
63) CAPTAIN REDBEARD (IRE) 10 9-13 143 Stuart Coltherd Stuart Coltherd
64) BLESS THE WINGS (IRE) 14 9-13 143 Adrian Butler & Stephen O'Connor Gordon Elliott IRE
65) BALLYHILL (FR) 8 9-13 143 Simon Such & Gino Paletta Nigel Twiston-Davies
66) POLIDAM (FR) 10 9-13 143 Simon Munir & Isaac Souede Willie Mullins IRE
67) JUST A PAR (IRE) 12 9-12 142 Mark Scott James Moffatt
68) THE YOUNG MASTER 10 9-12 142 Mike Burbidge & The Old Masters Neil Mulholland
69) BAIE DES ILES (FR) 8 9-12 142 Zorka Wentworth Ross O'Sullivan IRE
70) EXITAS (IRE) 11 9-12 142 Phil Middleton, Mark Lowther Phil Middleton
71) JOE FARRELL (IRE) 10 9-12 142 Mark Sherwood, Nigel Morris & Rebecca Curtis Rebecca Curtis
72) ISLEOFHOPENDREAMS 12 9-12 142 Kilbroney Racing Willie Mullins IRE
73) SHANTOU VILLAGE (IRE) 9 9-12 142 Jane Gerard-Pearse Neil Mulholland
74) RED INFANTRY (IRE) 9 9-12 142 Rob Little Ian Williams
75) COGRY 10 9-10 140 Graham and Alison Jelley Nigel Twiston-Davies
76) OUT SAM 10 9-10 140 Danny Charlesworth Gordon Elliott IRE
77) FACT OF THE MATTER (IRE) 9 9-10 140 The Sandylini Racing Partnership Jamie Snowden
78) BALLYDINE (IRE) 9 9-10 140 Alan Halsall Charlie Longsdon
79) VIEUX MORVAN (FR) 10 9-10 140 M L Bloodstock Limited Joseph O'Brien IRE
80) MR DIABLO (IRE) 10 9-09 139 Aidan Glynn Philip Dempsey IRE
81) KINGSWELL THEATRE 10 9-09 139 John J Murray Michael Scudamore
82) IMPULSIVE STAR (IRE) 9 9-09 139 Robert Waley-Cohen & Men Holding Neil Mulholland
83) MILANSBAR (IRE) 12 9-08 138 Robert Bothway Neil King
84) CAROLE'S DESTRIER 11 9-08 138 Carole Skipworth Neil Mulholland
85) SPLASH OF GINGE 11 9-07 137 John Neild Nigel Twiston-Davies
86) MEASUREOFMYDREAMS (IRE) 11 9-07 137 T Howley Jnr/A J O'Ryan/D McDonnell Gordon Elliott IRE
87) BORICE (FR) 8 9-07 137 Simon Munir & Isaac Souede Gordon Elliott IRE
88) ZIGA BOY (FR) 10 9-07 137 Axom LI Alan King
89) KILCREA VALE (IRE) 9 9-05 135 Alan Spence Nicky Henderson
90) WOODS WELL (IRE) 8 9-05 135 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott IRE
91) HIGHLAND LODGE (IRE) 13 9-05 135 Cheveley Park Stud James Moffatt
92) CALL IT MAGIC (IRE) 9 9-05 135 Zorka Wentworth Ross O'Sullivan IRE
93) LOOKING WELL (IRE) 10 9-03 133 David Wesley Yates Nicky Richards
94) BACK TO THE THATCH (IRE) 7 9-02 132 M R & Mrs C J Barnwell Henry Daly
95) POTTERS CORNER (IRE) 9 9-02 132 All Stars Sports Racing & Jonathan Davies Christian Williams
96) MORNEY WING (IRE) 10 8-13 129 The Steeple Chasers Charlie Mann
97) NED STARK (IRE) 11 8-12 128 Noel Moran/Valerie Moran Gordon Elliott IRE
98) RATHLIN ROSE (IRE) 11 8-12 128 Fergus Wilson David Pipe
99) VAN GOGH DU GRANIT (FR) 10 8-11 127 Fergus Wilson David Pipe
100) SCOIR MEAR (IRE) 9 8-11 127 J P McManus Thomas Mullins IRE
100 entries remain
42 Irish-trained
THE FOLLOWING 10 HORSES HAVE BEEN SCRATCHED: ACAPELLA BOURGEOIS (FR), ALLYSSON MONTERG (FR), AUVERGNAT (FR), BALLYARTHUR (IRE), CALETT MAD (FR), JAROB, MISSED APPROACH (IRE), ROGUE ANGEL (IRE), THE DUTCHMAN (IRE), WESTERNER POINT (IRE)
SKIPTHECUDDLES (IRE) & LIEUTENANT COLONEL not qualified
About Aintree Racecourse / The Jockey Club
Aintree is home to The Randox Health Grand National, the most famous horse race in the world which is the climax to a three-day Festival meeting in April every year. The racecourse hosts five other fixtures and is a leading conference centre in the north west of England.
More information is available at aintree.thejockeyclub.co.uk
Aintree is part of The Jockey Club which stages thrilling sporting occasions including The Randox Health Grand National, The Cheltenham Festival and The Investec Derby. Millions of people every year enjoy the special experiences we offer through racing, music, food and entertainment. Governed by Royal Charter, every penny we make goes back into British Racing to help the sport thrive. We were founded in 1750 and today we are the largest commercial group in Britain's second-biggest spectator sport, operating 15 racecourses nationwide, The National Stud, Jockey Club Estates, Jockey Club Catering, Jockey Club Live and our charity, Racing Welfare.
For more information visit www.thejockeyclub.co.uk
For further information please contact:
Grant Rowley, Regional Communications Manager, The Jockey Club (North West) on 07884 655990 or email: Grant.Rowley@thejockeyclub.co.uk
Jessica Dalgliesh, Senior Communications Executive, The Jockey Club (North West) on 07464 491507 or email: Jessica.Dalgliesh@thejockeyclub.co.uk
